


FIA

by Born In Captivity- Ineligible to Release (Jashasedai), FormulaFerrari



Series: Alternate Universe - Tame Racing Drivers [9]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers, Doubles of Every Character, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-16 20:14:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 41,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9287987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jashasedai/pseuds/Born%20In%20Captivity-%20Ineligible%20to%20Release, https://archiveofourown.org/users/FormulaFerrari/pseuds/FormulaFerrari
Summary: In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, life for Racing Drivers and matches can be extremely dangerous.Racing Drivers facing constant stress occasionally develop what is known as Fear Induced Aggression. Some men do, too.Mark Webber spends his career fighting the FIA.  Mark's Racing Driver, Rabbit, spends his career fighting for his life.MAJOR UPDATE!New chapters 28-32 (chapters that were previously 28/29 are now 33/34)(TOP GEAR DECLARES WAR ON THE COMPANIES!)New chapter 35





	1. Hotel room Outside Arrows HQ- 2000

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Tame Racing Drivers AU. Read the series summary.
> 
> Guest appearances by: The Stig, Jeremy Clarkson, various Redbull drivers and young drivers, Valentino Rossi.

**Hotel room Outside Arrows HQ- 2000**

  
Mark Webber sat on the side of the bed in the hotel room, his right leg folded on the bed with his foot under his left knee, his left foot resting on the floor, and made notes on the hotel notepad. 'I'm going to have to be careful not to leave evidence.' He told himself. 'I don't want them turning around and tracking me.'

  
-Learn how to detect and avoid or disable hidden cameras.  
-Find a good way to store files without carrying around paper files or my whole laptop. (Ask Anne about this)  
-Make contacts and find out what they know.  
-Make sure to watch where they come from and where they go.  
-Learn the layouts of the areas around the track  
-Find out how to measure buildings for hidden rooms.

  
He crossed the last note out. That was silly, most buildings had subceilings and false walls anyway, so maintenance could get done. Besides, he wasn't a spy, the fact that they had to come and go would be beyond dispute, it wouldn't be as though cubbys in the backs of the racetracks would be stocked full of files.

  
Sighing, he sat back. Files. Like the contract he'd signed today and was already making plans on breaking. He pinched the bridge of his nose and scrunched his eyes shut. It had been the most surreal experience.

  
The contract of non-disclosure. Not to disclose about the...Racing Drivers. The men that FIA kept as livestock. Trained animals to race. They called them stallions, for fucks sake.

  
'This is not what I expected. Twins, sure, look alikes, men in facial prostetics, yeah, ok. They sure weren't animals.' Mark had seen Peter Dumbreck jump out of his car at the end of a day and high five the team, and celebrate a victory, or voice his exasperation at a defeat. He'd talked to Peter. Sure, sometimes he only answered in grunts, or nods and smiles. But the double obviously wasn't an animal. Richard Zonta and Klaus Ludwig had doubles, too, all indistinguishable from the men. Except apparently none of the doubles could speak.

  
-Learn their sign language so I can talk to them.

  
He wrote. Hand signs were common on the tracks. Sometimes people from place to place used the same handsigns to mean different things, but Mark had picked the basics up pretty easily early on in his career. He would just have to learn it fully. If he could talk to the Racing Drivers and ask them about their lives, he could learn more about what he needed to know about what FIA was doing to them.

  
A chill ran up his spine. FIA was keeping men like livestock. They had contracts to keep it hidden, but there was obviously more to it than that. If one of the big names came out in the press with this information, FIA would be in serious trouble. They wouldn't be concerned about sueing some racing driver...or...some guy matched to some Racing Driver. So legal recourse obviously wasn't what was really going on here, there had to be something else holding the matched men in place. Was it love of racing? They didn't even get to race, once they were matched. So what would be so worth it about giving away the career you worked so hard for?

  
Fear couldn't be all that was holding them in place. Fight, Flight or Freeze didn't answer it. Fear induced immobility only lasted until the danger became inevitable, then it became one of the big two, Fight or Flight. Fear induced escape would result in men disappearing off the tracks all the time, and so would fighting the company. So the other alternative was that in addition to punishment, there was also a reward.

  
Money? Not all drivers made good money, and careers tended to be short for athletes. Fame? A lot of men would consider that a benefit. It would be hard for Mark to consider being famous for someone else's accomplishments a reward. You'd have to be pretty shallow.

  
So what was it? What kept the matches from doing what he was going to do? Why didn't they resist?

  
He ran a long finger over the last line of writing. Maybe _they_ knew.


	2. Trackside-2001

2001

Fernando was sitting side by side with the other guy in Minardi gear. They were actually pressed together, from ankle to hip. Mark thought that probably the only reason they weren't shoulder to shoulder as well was because they were signing back and forth at a rapid pace.

  
The other guy with the exact physique as Fernando. Who was making the boy smile with a broad grin and lit up eyes.

  
[But wouldn't selfishness and generosity be always the same as right and wrong?] The one in the lightweight balaclava and sunglasses gestured.

  
[Can doing something wrong because someone asks you to can be selfless, but still wrong? Or is it selfish, because you must be gaining something in order do be willing to do wrong?]

  
[Not true, one can do wrong and only lose.] He took his eyes off Fernando and looked at Mark, standing in the opening of the garage.

  
Fernando turned around to see what he was looking at. He waved at Mark. The double waved a little as well. Fernando gestured for him to come over.

  
He walked over and specifically didn't stare at the Racing Driver, whom Fernando introduced as Alondra. Mark shook his hand for the briefest of moments. The discomfort evident in the Driver's body language made him uncomfortable by proxy.

  
[Discussing...] His gestures trailed off. He didn't know how to sign philosophy.

  
"Ways of thinking." Fernando said, showing him the sign, slowly.

  
Mark repeated it back.

  
Alondra snorted part of a laugh and then clamped his mouth shut.

  
Mark's eyes went wide. If he hadn't seen for himself that the noise had come from the other person, he could have sworn it was a couple of strokes of an engine. He forced his eyes back to Fernando's hands.

  
"You say, visualise the track or maybe remember a racing line."

  
He gestured again, more slowly, and as far as Mark could tell it was exactly the same motion. He studied Fernando's hand and made sure his was in exactly the same position, with exactly the same angles.

  
"Think what you mean, it will show how you move." Fernando said.

  
Mark thought 'Philosophy, the way you think.' He gestured again.

  
Fernando nodded.

  
The double nodded as well. [He,] there was a gesture he didn't know, [fast.] The double gestured.

  
[Always fast, strategic.] Fernando gestured back. Then he turned to Mark. "He say you do well. I tell him you are always good when you are trying hard, and that you are smart. Good understanding."

  
"I thought you said fast. I don't know if I will ever get the hang of this." Mark frowned.

  
Someone called his name.

  
He stood up. "It was nice meeting you...Alondra." He gestured as much of this as he could. He started across the room to talk to the Minardi people about the drive.

  
"Mark." Fernando called.

  
Mark turned around.

  
"Fast is the same as doing good." Fernando laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments keep writers writing.


	3. Trackside- 2001

2001

Mark was picking up the nuances of the gestured sign language. He had read up on some of the human sign languages, but they didn't really work the same way. Most human sign languages were meant to be used in conversational settings, not across racetracks or from the cockpit of race cars. A hand gesture waved as the signer went by you at 100 miles an hour wasn't much good if it relied on subtle differences in position of fingers or degree of movement.

  
That was the weird thing. Some of the gestures were subtly different, but most of them were exactly the same. Not as all the others, but as the other gestures that were the same. Philosophy and way of thinking and visualising a track and remembering a racing line WERE all the same gesture. Which made at least some sense, but it also meant be nice, in the sense of being polite, rather than nice because you liked them, which was the same gesture as wheel to wheel racing, or making decisions.

  
He'd looked for subtle differences, they weren't there. If Fernando made the gestures differently, it was purely a flaw in human ability to perform the same task identically. But Fernando could tell which gesture Mark meant. He said it was an all over body thing, and that he couldn't teach him. He said most of the gestures were easy to tell from context. Which was great, as far as it went, but that meant two or three separate meanings could be gotten from any conversation.

  
Fernando was watching him gesture with a frown.

  
"I thought you said patting the table meant it's fine." Mark moaned.

  
"The way you were gesturing, it meant don't ask me again." Fernando said, "Do you care for your own nails?"

  
Mark tried to think if this made sense in gestures or was some kind of odd translation from Spanish, maybe an idiom. Like the time one of the reporters had asked him if he felt the effort had cost him an eye out of his face, meaning it was expensive. He thought about any maintenance that might be required. He hadn't brought any nails, but he could probably lay hands on some if necessary.

  
The Spaniard's eyebrows raised. He watched Mark's confusion.

  
"What am I missing?" Mark asked.

  
"Fingernails." A grin spread across his face. "I mean do you care for your own fingernails?"

  
What a weird question. He looked at his hands, wondering why Fernando would ask him that. Was there something wrong with them? They looked the same as they always did.

  
"You look like a mechanic."

  
Mark stared at him.

  
"Your fingernails are grubby and ragged. I mean no offense by this. People will be looking more, now that this is the way you are speaking." He gestured as he said the last part. "Has no one taught you of caring for your fingernails?"

  
"I guess I never really thought about it." They were grubby? There was a little grease under them, but he was elbows deep in the car when he wasn't driving. He'd washed them well before he'd come. Maybe the bits around the edges of the nails were a little ragged, he conceded.

  
"You come and see me tomorrow, I will show you what to do."

  
Mark hesitated. Was he going to agree to personal care lessons from a kid? He looked at Fernando's nails. They did look nicer, in some way he couldn't quantify, than Mark's nails did. He found himself nodding. "Yeah, alright. I'll come back tomorrow."

  
The next day when he got in to the garage, he found a new nailcare set, complete with a nice leather case, and a note that said, "Brings these, I will teach you to use them."

  
Ok, so this was how it was going to be, huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make writers want to write.


	4. Redbull Race Training Compound- 2001

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse Warning

2001

The stables were so empty compared to home. The stall didn't feel like it had been lived in, or carried the lives of generations of Racing Drivers. The cupboard floor didn't have the softness of being worn into by generations of bare feet. The stalls were neatly oriented to the north, but the magnetic field felt different here. The track didn't have the kinks worked out of it.

  
But mostly, it felt empty because there were only about 100 Racing Drivers in it. He had never known a time when 12 or 13 hundred unmatched Drivers weren't within easy reach.

  
Not to mention the retired stallions. It was bad etiquette to talk to them if they hadn't invited you to, and even worse manners to spy, unforgivable to spy, but feeling them there, powerful like crackling thunderstorms looming over the land had been reassuring. What could go wrong that Grad or Bear couldn't handle? That Shoe, as the years progressed, couldn't handle? Champion stallions meant that you were safe, that the stable was strong.

  
Here, in this new stable, there weren't any Champions at all. He was the oldest, strongest stallion; and he had never been away from the stable. The Trainer's stallion had never really raced, he was older than Rabbit and had real wins and some sort of nebulouc power that didn't come from wins, that Rabbit didn't understand, but didn't want to face. This stallion wasn't a Redbull Racing Driver. He'd been raised in some stable a long way off that no one had ever heard of.

  
Or, at least, none of Rabbit's herd. Most of the mares were older than he was, bought for Redbull, rather than bred for Redbull. They were respectful, because he was the lead stallion, but they had lived at stables where the herd stallions were multiple world champions, and being patient with a teenager, who wasn't even matched, was hard for them. The whole herd was stressed and uncomfortable.

  
Fortunately, they were all pregnant or had recently had foals. This kept them from being too disatisfied with Rabbit's leadership, whether he had anything to do with it or not. It was strange, too, being in a stable with such a lack of Little Racing Drivers. There was a double handful of colts, and twice that many fillies, most of them less than half Rabbit's age, all of them younger by at least a year.

  
The only other stallion even close to his age was Stig. He was a white, his lap times were good, mostly because they were consistant, but he didn't care about the cars, he cared about the tracks. He was a year older than Rabbit, and would have been the herd stallion, but single track Drivers didn't lead. He barely even communicated with anyone. He could never reach his potential here, and everyone saw it. He had gotten depressed as this became increasingly apparent, and made the herd nervous, so the handlers kept him apart, as if everyone couldn't hear his mental pacing.

  
The next oldest half dozen colts and fillies after Rabbit were limited enough in potential they wouldn't be matched. Cooler was good enough to race, but he kept trying to make the kart slip when it cornered. He maintained that if he could get the wheels to slip, he could get around the corners without wasting the time of turning the wheels. He was clearly mistaken.

  
He got matched the year after they moved to the new stable.

  
He was matched, more of a grownup than Rabbit on that alone, but as of yet, he hadn't left the stable either, and he was younger.

  
His man came to see him, thought. They all asked him about it. Except Rabbit, who played it cool. The lead stallion couldn't be seen asking what it was like to be matched like some overeager colt.

  
The next oldest after Cooler was Boomer. He was a blue, like Rabbit, but not a Dark Blue, a Bright Blue. He didn't mind asking after being matched, and was observant enough to ask where Rabbit could see the answers. He never said anything about knowing Rabbit was more desperate than any of them to be matched.

  
Even Stig, who was older. Everyone knew single track Drivers either got matched or they didn'ts. It wasn't about lap times for them. No one had ever come for Stig and it was becoming obvious no one ever would. He never showed much inclination to bond, anyway, so the subject didn't interest him.

  
Cooler left a year after the move and had come back after break, like all Racing Drivers on teams did. He had more wins, but Rabbit could still beat him on the track. If it had occured to him to let Cooler win, he could have given up the spot as the herd stallion, but doing less than his best was not a Racing Driver trait and even had it occured to him, anything less than open, blunt honesty was out of Rabbit's capabilities.

  
At some point, Rabbit became aware that there was an intended match out there somewhere for him. The handlers dealt differently with Drivers who had a future on a team, and that was the was they dealt with Rabbit. Like he was meant to be somewhere. Nothing else happened, thought. The tension of being geared up to match built up and drained as nothing came of it over and over in an unbearable cycle. There was nothing he could do but wonder why it wasn't happening for him. What was wrong?

  
The Redbull herd had lived at the Ferrari stable, until their own stable had been ready, until the herd was big enough to warrent it. They had been kept separate, physically, from the Ferrari herd, but they were aware of the other Racing Drivers. They knew there was a steady flow of Ferrari colts getting matched and sent to teams. The herd had expected him to be taken to match, and as the years had passed, and Ferrari continued to match and place stallions, and their Rabbit, their oldest, fastest colt was not, they started to get confused, and then afraid.

  
His herd didn't trust him to lead, and he had no compelling reasons why they should. His own self confidence faltered. He threw himself into training and driving and cutting his lap times. Now here, in their own stable, he was 23 years old, and still never matched.

  
And now the younger stallions were being trained to match. Boomer was only 13, and he was going through the training Rabbit had started at 16. The other colt, the little blonde one, whose times were even better than Boomers, and almost as good as Rabbit's, he was also being trained for matching.

  
The Trainer and his stallion, Price, came and spent time with him. Rabbit mostly just sat sullenly in a room with Price and told him about how awful it felt, being trained for years to match and having no match ever brought. Price told him about how sometimes a Racing Driver had a match, out there, but the match wasn't ready for him, and that Racing Drivers who had to wait the longest for their matches had the best bonds. It seemed hollow, though. So when Price assured him he was sure that the handlers would bring him his match when it was time, Rabbit didn't really believe him. Price told him that being matched when the human wasn't ready could spoil a bond. When he was told to trust the handlers, because they were there to take care of him, until his match came, he came to distrust the handlers, because why didn't they know that what Rabbit needed was his match, not platitudes. If his match wasn't ready, Rabbit would be patient, they would learn together. Nothing would spoil Rabbit's bond with his match. He wouldn't let it.

  
Then one day, when he was in his stall, training, Stig addressed him. In his quiet, gentle voice he asked for Rabbit's permission to speak to him. Rabbit sat up from where he'd been doing crunches and wiped the sweat off his face and shoulders with a towel.

  
'Go ahead, Stig.'

  
'Price came. He told me I can be strong without a match, it's not shameful.'

  
Rabbit looked around his room. Something had changed. The last time he and Stig had discussed his Trainer sessions, Price had still been telling Stig what he told Rabbit, that waiting for a match was a good sign, or that that match wasn't ready to accept the bond. This was a very different message.

  
'Did he sound like he meant there wasn't going to be a match coming for you?'

  
Stig's sending was very, very quiet. 'Yes.'

  
Rabbit's heart chilled. He sent slowly, not wanting this conversation. 'What did he want to do to fix it?'

  
'He said moving might make it easier for him to find me.'

  
To find Stig? The handlers were supposed to bring the matches, they should know exactly where Stig was. How would moving help? Rabbit was extremely suspicious of this development.

  
'To a holding facility.'

  
Rabbit's body hit the door so hard it actually jumped in it's hinges. 'PRICE!'

  
'PRICE!' He grabbed the Trainer stallion's mind and dragged his attention around to Rabbit.

  
When Price deigned to look Rabbit's way, Rabbit snarled. 'You think taking him away is the best thing for him?! You don't take my family away. He needs to stay with us."

  
Price sent a feeling of watching a Little Racing Driver stumble in a simple footrace. 'He has no man to speak for him. No one will stop them from taking him.'

  
'I'M the stallion, I speak for him. You leave him here."

  
Price closed himself to Rabbit, but not before one parting shot, 'I might take you seriously, but you have no man to speak for you, either.'

  
Rabbit snarled and slammed himself against the door again, and again, and again. He didn't stop until the handlers opened the door and hauled him out into the corridor. From the stall next to Rabbit's another strong body hitting the door stopped when the handlers hauled Stig out of his stall.

  
There was a couple little bumps from the three stalls on the other side, but the colts stopped resisting when the doors were thrown open. Except for the littlest colt, who took one sharp knock and was out cold.

  
The handlers made Rabbit watch while they beat Stig senseless, then dragged him away.

  
Then they took turns beating Rabbit until long after he'd passed out.


	5. Redbull Race Training Compound- 2001

2001

  
Rabbit's mind surfaced into his body again. He was lying in the medical wing.

  
'The last time they hurt you that bad was the first time you met Rock Rose.' Sent a strong female mind.

  
Rabbit made a starter failure noise and tried to roll over. His body wouldn't, it was too sore.

  
Everything that happened flooded back. He reached out and called for Stig.

  
The mare kept at a distance and watched him.

  
'He's not here, is he?' Rabbit sent to her. Something was wrong with his mouth.

  
'No. They took him while he was unconscious.'

  
Rabbit clenched his eyes closed. It sent shockwaves of pain through his face and down his neck, but he dispersed it without thinking. The weight of his failure felt like it was crushing him. 'Grad wouldn't have lost him.'

  
The mare didn't send anything.

  
He felt along the edges of his mind. He couldn't feel anyone but the mare. The whole stable was tuned out of this conversation. 'Are you the one keeping Price out?'

  
No answer.

  
He felt heat rise behind his ears. His jaw hurt, and there was a metallic taste. He plucked at the wires with his tongue.

  
'Glass,' He called her, 'Answer me. I'm your lead stallion, unless that's changed too, while I was unconscious.'

  
No response. Why couldn't he open his mouth?

  
'Answer me!'

  
'I will answer you when you BEHAVE like a lead stallion. You are asking questions you know the answers to. When you are ready to come to us with a plan, we will be happy to listen to you.' She was speaking in her lead mare voice. She had gotten very good at in the years before their stable had possesed no stallions at all, when someone had to speak for them to the stallions that shared the lead of Ferrari.

  
Hers was the voice he had followed, until he'd become a stallion and the responsibility was turned over to him. He closed his eyes and thought. What would Grad have done?

  
Unrealistic expectations.

  
Grad lost Racing Drivers all the time. It was the hardest part of being a lead stallion. Having no recourse against the handlers, once reason had failed. Which it often did. Rabbit was expecting too much if he expected to do what Grad could not.

  
There was no use feeling sorry for himself.

  
It had been apparent for years that Stig wasn't going to be matched. This was something he had desperately wanted to avoid, but it hadn't been wholey unexpected. He had to fight for his herd, though. He had no man to speak for them, so he had to do everything in his power. Even if that was as useless as getting beaten down in the corridor.

  
That trial was over, now, though and the herd needed him. What was best for them? They needed to keep working, keep being strong. They would need to prepare for the fact that Stig's removal was very likely to be followed by Rabbit's own. If there was no match out there for him, or if, inexplicably, his match was meant to find him and was unable to do so, then he would be the next one sent away from the stable. That meant Cooler would be the lead stallion. He would have to teach Boomer and Oz, they were the next oldest stallions who might have a chance to race. They were the same age, and both of them were fast enough that it was pretty certain one of them would be matched. They would be taking on a lot more of the responsibility when he was gone, because Cooler was out racing all season. He needed to take more of an interest in them while he was still here.

  
Maybe they could get a stallion in when he was gone, even a single champion would make the herd feel more secure than they had through Rabbit's entire tenure as lead stallion. And the colts could learn from him. He would have to ask Price.

  
His heart sunk. He remembered in painful detail what Price had said to him in the moment before he'd turned his back. Price wasn't going to be his ally in this. He had no man and his Trainer had turned his back on him. The season wasn't going to end for a few more months, and then he would ask Cooler to ask Tom to speak for them. He would hold things together until Tom got back from his season with his team. Then his family would be safe, even when Rabbit was gone.

  
'Glass,' he sent. She was out there, she hadn't been listening to him work through his decisions, but he could picture her, sitting cross legged, keeping the stable and Price away, so he could have the space and time to think.

  
'Yes, Rabbit?' She had stopped speaking like a lead mare, to a colt, now and was speaking to him as a lead mare to her lead stallion. Whether they were mates had nothing to do with it. They weren't, they never would be, they shared a bloodline. She was the strongest female, he was the strongest male. They had seperate responsibilities, but it was his decision what should be done to protect the herd.

  
He laid his plan out in detail. He could feel her considering and weighing his points, accepting them and passing them on to the other responsible mares, somewhere behind her. She was still keeping everyone else out of his mind.

  
When he was done, she sent him a resigned approval, and asked, 'What if you are not sent away?'

  
'Then I will keep being the lead stallion until another stallion is strong enough to do it.'

  
'What if you are matched?'

  
Rabbit opened his eyes and stared at the white tiled ceiling above his hospital bed. He absentmindedly worked his tongue along the wires in his mouth. 'We both know that isn't going to happen.'


	6. Redbull Race Training Compound- Midseason 2001

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! 
> 
> This is my first chapter in this verse so I hope it's enjoyable! I really love this series that Jashasedai has put together and was thrilled when I was asked to participate in it! Please do comment to let us both know how you're finding the verse - it is always nice to hear what people think :)
> 
> ~ FormulaFerrari
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It wasn't common to get volunteers for this program. In fact, Mark wasn't even sure if there had ever been a volunteer accepted before. Though, calling himself a volunteer was using the term loosely. Sure, he had applied but when the company you apply to have had you on the books for years it's more like just saving them some admin when you walk in and ask to join yourself. 

It was Fernando's fault. Well, not necessarily fault but it was because of Fernando he was here. There was something different about the connection between Fernando and Alondra. Mark could never quite put his finger on it. It was in their glances too each other, the way they spoke without words, the in depth intimacy between them. Mark was fairly envious of that. He wanted someone who could just feel he was upset or angry and know exactly what to do to make him happy or calm him down. 

At one point in his life, Mark had thought that could be Fernando. It was clear now that would never be the case. Sure, Fernando and he were still close but he sometimes felt like the third wheel whenever Alondra was around.

"We don't usually get volunteers" the woman smiled as he was walked down the corridor. Volunteer. Mark played the word over his tongue again. It didn't suit his situation. In all honestly, Mark could have sworn the FIA had force Fernando and Alondra under his nose so he would end up right here. He walked in silence, trying to keep the nerves forever growing inside him as low in his stomach as possible. 

She explained things to him that he had already been told as they walked. Repeated instructions that Mark had already received. Mark was most concerned about keeping eye contact. He'd been told of the horrific ramifications to him if he broke the eye contact with the Racing Driver first. Un-repairable neurological damage, potential death... It appeared to be a big risk to Mark’s personal wellbeing, but a risk worth taking. He wanted to care for his Racing Driver, make sure he was happy. Without even meeting the Driver he already felt a deep protective instinct over him.

He was told to sit, which he did. Wait for the knock and enter. It has almost been repeated to him like a mantra. He felt like it was engrained into his body, just as strongly as "don't break eye contact first". 

With the silence creeping in, Mark tried to focus on anything but his impending fears. He thought about how much good he would bring to his Racing Driver. How he wanted to protect him, how he wanted to learn how to make him smile, learn how to make him feel better with just a look. Just the way Fernando did for Alondra, and the way Alondra did for Fernando. 

He replaced his mantra in time with his breathing; letting the soothing in and out of breath relax him, make him feel himself. His usual approach of crack a joke to break the ice wasn't going to work here. He needed a different starting point. A different way to make his Driver instantly relax so he would be more accepting of him.

He was startled out of his peaceful state with three sharp knocks on the door.

Another deep breath saw Mark on his feet. He ran a hand through his hair before wiping his clammy palms on his jeans. This was going to be ok. He just had to take off his helmet and not break eye contact, focus on making his Driver feel content and hope like hell he didn't blink first. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sure there was no chance of his eyes going dry or a need to blink entering his brain. He could not blink first. 

Another steady breath took Mark to the door. His hands shook a little as he reached for the handle but he pushed passed it, forcing himself into the little room that lay waiting for him.

The man poised behind his Driver looked as confused as Mark did. When Fernando had told Mark the story of him getting Alondra he hadn't held back on how traumatic it was to see his Driver thrashing around, desperate to break free as if he had been forced there. Mark's driver was, well, statue like. He sat, crossed legged on the rough floor, in his dark blue race suit and his yellow helmet. Mark wanted to ask if he was ok but he felt breaking the silence would potentially spook his driver, and that was the last thing he wanted. 

As Mark timidly moves forwards, so did the men around the room. It was as if they were all expecting the Driver to suddenly lash out, break free of this peaceful trance and make a break for it. But he didn't move. Not a muscle as Mark crouched in front of him and unfastened the strap below his chin. 

It would have startled Mark more if he hadn't have seen the likeliness of Fernando and Alondra, but it was still a bizarre sight to be looking down into a perfect replication on himself. He didn't waste a moment, locking his eyes on the hazel ones he knew so well. They were dazzling to him and instantly he felt like he couldn't look away, even if he wanted too. 

_I won't harm you. I will protect you. I will keep you safe._

Mark chanted these words over and over, hoping they were enough for his Driver to believe him. Maybe his Driver couldn't hear him but he at least thought it was the best thing for him to do in this situation. He didn't want his Driver to feel panicked or scared. He wanted him to feel safe, protected, cared for, but most importantly wanted. 

Mark wanted his Driver more than anything. 

Maybe somehow that want was translated to his Driver, because he suddenly blinked, a small smile gracing his lips.

"We don't usually get volunteers." The woman smiled as Mark filled out the forms she was giving him. Mark was barely listening, trying to get more of a reading on his Driver. He was quiet, sort of timid in a way Mark wasn't - completely - but that fight and fire was still there. Mark could feel it oozing off of him, hear it in the light engine purr that kept emulating from his Driver. 

Mark had been aiming for an Australian name for his Driver. He'd spoken to Fernando about how he had picked Alondra's but Fernando had just said it had come to him once they had bonded. Initially Mark had dismissed this but now his Driver was here he found none of the names he had come up with fit at all. He glanced at his Driver, trying to read the face he knew so well when it came to him. 

Rabbit. 

By the happier, more excited engine purr he got from behind him Mark felt he had made the right choice in name.


	7. Redbull Race Training Compound- Midseason 2001

 

  **Redbull Race Training Compound- Midseason 2001**

 

 

Rabbit could feel the change in the air in the stable.

  
Price had stopped speaking to him.

  
One day, after weeks of silence, he and his match came to Rabbit's stall. [Get your helmet on.] The Trainer gestured.

  
Rabbit covered his face. He followed the Trainer down a hallway. It had no trace of use. There were doors all down one side. He kept his stride even. His heart was beating harder than it ever had at the highest speed he'd ever reached.

  
He followed them into a room with 4 handlers in it.

  
_'You know what to do.'_ Was all Price said as he and his Trainer left the room.

  
The handlers approached.

  
Rabbit ignored them and settled into a seated position. He crossed his long legs.

  
The handlers milled around. They were used to colts fighting when they were forced to the ground for their matching.

  
Rabbit was no colt. He was the herd stallion and he had nothing to fear from the match who was finally ready to accept him. He smirked at the humans from behind his helmet.

  
As the minutes went by, they eased out of their tensed positions, seeming to realize he was not going to begin a pointless resistance. They drifted one by one away from him. One remained behind him, ready to stiffle him if he moved.

  
One of them moved to the door, opposite the one Rabbit had come in, keeping a wary eye on Rabbit, and knocked on it.

  
There was the tiniest convulsion of fear in his mind. He reached out to Glass, then stopped. He wanted to share this moment with someone. Then he remembered that the man who had walked into the room was the one he was meant to share this moment with. And all the moments after.

  
He raised his eyes to the man. He was taller than the handlers in the room, and than most of the men Rabbit had ever seen. Much taller than Cooler's match. He looked hard. His face had sharp corners. His face was shaved. He had brown hair, very dark. His eyes were a little green and a little brown around the outside. He was a big man. Outside of the calm Rabbit was floating in, the thought drifted by that when he hit, he would hit VERY hard.

  
Rabbit never even knew he'd thought it. He was too busy sinking a well into his internal energy source. The man didn't kneel. He crouched, ready for action. Rabbit had lost touch with everything but his awareness of this man and the energy source inside him.

  
His hand reached out, it was so cool and soothing. He unstrapped Rabbit's helmet.

  
Outside Rabbit's calm, something screamed at him to fight. He laughed the impulse off. As his protection came free of his face he buried both hands up to the elbows in the power he would only have access to once. Only for this moment. He drew heavily on his resources, and locked eyes with himself.

  
Touching Mark's mind was shivery goodness. With a shock he realized the noises the man was making were speech, directed at him.

  
I won't harm you.

  
Rabbit moved aside Mark's preconceptions, wired him for his new reality. No, no, I can see that you won't. I will always trust your judgements.

  
I will protect you.

  
Rabbit made Mark faster, so he could survive having Rabbit's mind always touching his. We will protect each other, my other half. I will give my everything for your least wish.

  
I will keep you safe.

  
Rabbit gave Mark the means to understand himself and Rabbit, and all they could be together. I will fight for you. My work will be for you. I will make you proud of me. I promise.

  
I will care for you.

  
Rabbit increased Mark's emotional capacity, he would need it, to deal with what Rabbit would be channeling through him. I love you. I am honored to have been matched to you. Our bond will be as indestructable as the wind.

  
Then, as Rabbit spent the last drops of his reserves on sealing their bond, he heard something silent, under the words, a sending, like one of his own would send. The first memory he would ever have of their bond.

  
_'You will be the most important to me.'_

  
Rabbit released Mark's mind with himself stamped on every synapse, and a final loving, _'And you for me.'_

  
He smiled. Mark couldn't know, yet, that he was sending. He would realize it someday, but this would always be Rabbit's view of the man Mark was when he didn't know he was being watched. Mark's honest self. How could Rabbit ask for more than such a blatant display of love?

  
They stood as one. With a shock, Rabbit realized he was as tall as Mark. Was he big, too? Bigger than the handlers?

  
Their strides matched perfectly. He could feel Mark's energy crackling off him. He was so drawn to Mark, but he was the lead stallion, not a colt. He had learned to exist alone, had resigned himself to never having this. He was not subject to his impulses. He stood close enough to Mark that he was never more than a reach away, but did not cling to him. Besides, Mark's touch was so intense, Rabbit was sure if he allowed himself to indulge, he would never be able to pull himself free. There would be work. If Rabbit was constantly gratifying his need for Mark's closeness, he would never be able to leave him long enough to race, to live through breaks in the stable.

  
The fact that Mark could barely tear his eyes from Rabbit was already setting his skin on fire. How would Rabbit endure the love that scorched through Mark's touch?

  
Mark sent out a question. He didn't know he was doing it, but he was groping through their bond. Rabbit slotted the information into his grasp.

  
_'My name is A flash of movement on the hillside.'_

  
He watched Mark absorb it. He's fast, very fast. Strategic thinker.

  
The image that reflected back to Rabbit was his full name, made sense of in the best way Mark could. A small creature, admirably fast, running at full tilt, visible for a moment before vanishing from sight.

  
Rabbit laughed appreciatively. Yes, Mark's sharing his life would always be a source of entertainment. 


	8. Mark's House - Midseason 2001

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ FormulaFerrari

 

Ann sat patiently, blowing on the hot cup of tea that had been placed in front of her. Mark was pacing, making her fully aware that he had something very important to talk to her about. She had a feeling she knew where this conversation would lead them but she was willing to wait for Mark, as she had always done, and let him do this at his own pace on his own terms. She smiled lightly as he took the seat opposite her, but it was mere moments before he was back on his feet, pacing, and running his hands through his hair.

“You can’t… Tell anyone.” Mark said, his eyes locked in a trance-like stare ahead of him as he took steadying breaths.

“You can tell me anything, Mark. I promise, it goes no further than me.” Ann assured. A small smile filtered onto Mark’s face as he glanced her way. Of course he knew all that. It was why he was entrusting her with this information in the first place. He sat back down in front of her, laying his palms flat on the table as he took a deep breath.

“I have a secret.” Mark announced on the exhale. Ann gave an encouraging nod to continue but didn’t say anything. She wasn’t even sure if Mark saw her small gesture to carry on; he was staring at his hands. “I… Need to tell someone.” Ann reached across the table to lay one of her hands on top of Mark’s. It was a small gesture, one they had shared many times in difficult meeting and discussions about the future. It was Ann telling Mark she was here for him without saying a word. It made her happy to see that, even after all this time, it had an amazingly calming affect on him.

Mark glanced up at Ann before closing his eyes and taking one last deep breath.

“I don’t race my car.” He said, his voice wavering slightly. He thought of all the papers he’d signed for Rabbit, about everything he had had to do to be able to have him in his care and protect him. The confidentiality contract stuck in his mind most, but was he really in breach of this? Surely Ann would need to know as he progressed into Formula One that it was no longer him racing in the car.

Mark looked across the table at Ann after his revelation. If he was honest, he expected her to look a little more shocked, or at least confused. She seemed… Calm, placid. As if he had just pointed to the night sky outside the window and said it was dark. In turn, this caused Mark to frown. Ann blinked, encouraging him to continue with her soft gaze.

“You’re not going to question that?” Mark asked, still trying to figure out why a hundred and one questions hadn’t come storming across the table at him. That he was prepared for. Sort of. Or at least a frown of confused he could take with her silence.

“I’ve been in this sport a long time.” Ann said gently, still encouraging Mark to carry on. But instead Mark’s mind was working on this new information. Ann could see the thoughts processing through his head. The moment he pulled his hand from under hers she knew he was piecing everything together.

“You… You know about them?” Mark muttered, his eyes searching around the room for the answer to this predicament. Ann reached for him again.

“Mark-”

“-Don’t fucking lie to me.” Mark gritted, slamming his fist on the table. Ann flinched at the sudden jolt across the table as her teacup wobbled. “You know about them.” Ann dropped her head, looking at her hands.

“Yes…” She muttered. This was not the way she wanted Mark to find out. She looked up as Mark slid his chair backwards, resuming his pacing from earlier. His eyes were calculating as his hands ran through his hair.

“You work for them…”

“Sweetie-” Ann tried but Mark didn’t give her a chance. His eyes glistened with rare tears as he turned his angry glare back at her.

“You work for the fucking monsters who did this to him-!”

“-Absolutely not.” Ann said sharply, getting to her feet. Mark continued to glare at her, his fists tightly clenched.

“Did you know about me? Is that why you took this fucking job? Is that why you pushed me so hard to get into Formula One?”

“Mark-”

“-I should have listened to my fucking parents! You weren’t trying to help me-”

“-Mark-!”

“-You were grooming me for them-!”

“-That’s enough!” Ann yelled, startling Mark. “How dare you think I’d work for them! How dare you think I’d condone what they do!” Ann raged. It put Mark on the back foot; he’d never seen Ann like this before. “I do not work for the FIA.”

“Then how do you know about them? How did you know to be my agent? Are you after him?”

“No, Mark.” Ann huffed. “I don’t want you or your Racing Driver. I am trying to help, to protect you-”

“-Protect me-?!”

“-Both of you.” Ann finished with a stern look at Mark for interrupting her. Mark folded his arms. “There are people out there who want to give them what they deserve, Mark: their freedom. They know they should be recognised as living beings not just things to be toyed with, to be made into slaves.” Mark still looked weary. Ann sat down, taking a deep breath. “I work for those people. I work for the people on the inside who want things to change.”

“Why haven’t I heard of these people?”

“Because bad things happen to those people who oppose the rules. We don’t want our plans getting out until there is nothing that can be done to stop them.”

“Why the hell should I trust you?”

“Have I ever given you a reason not to?” Ann said seriously. Mark was still standing above her but she held her confident posture, showing him she was not about to back down. “You have your secret, I have mine. Please, Mark… I want to help you.”

“These people…” Mark said, sitting back down opposite Ann. “Tell me who they are.”

“The revolution is lead by Jeremy Clarkson.” Ann said calmly. She knew she needed Mark’s trust back and the only way to do so was to be honest with him. If she were honest with him there was a high chance he would be honest with her. “He… Had a Racing Driver… Something terrible happened.”

“What?” There was real pain in Mark’s eyes as he asked for more information. Ann knew if she told him he’d live it and feel the pain Jeremy felt. It wasn’t worth imposing that empathy in Mark.

“It’s not important. He just… Doesn’t have his Racing Driver anymore.” Mark could feel that. Well, he couldn’t, but he knew it would be unbearable to live if he didn’t have his connection with Rabbit. How Jeremy did it was incredible.

“Did you know about me?” Mark asked the table that he was scratching absent-mindedly with his thumbnail. Ann took his hand in her own.

“When you went on the FIA records for having a match somehow Jeremy got that information.”

“You were sent to try and get me to join the revolution.” Mark scoffed. Ann shook her head.

“I would never ask that of you. I would never ask you to endanger your Racing Driver or yourself for some cause. You’re both people, you deserve the right to make that choice.”

“… Rabbit.” Mark muttered, still looking at his hands. Ann frowned for a moment until it clicked.

“… His name is Rabbit?”

“Yeah… Seems a bit silly-”

“-Not at all.” Ann beamed. Mark glanced at her. “It’s perfect.”

“Yeah, well-” Before Mark had a chance to go into his name choosing process something Ann had said registered in his head. “Wait, you said the FIA had me on record.”

“That’s why they pursued you to match. I was wondering what the offer was, you never discussed it with me.” Ann added as an after thought. But Mark was shaking his head rapidly.

“No, no, no… I volunteered.” This caused Ann to frown in confusion.

“What?”

“I volunteered to the programme.” Mark said, dread sitting in his stomach. Ann looked at him with wide eyes.

“You can’t volunteer. Not for Formula One. They need direct matches.”

“But I volunteered.” Ann swallowed dryly.

“Mark, sweetie… I don’t think you did.” Mark was on his feet in the instant, back to his pacing. This time his hands were shaking terribly, and Ann didn’t know if it was anger or fear.

“I wanted what Fernando had. We kept bumping into each other. And one day there he was and there was two of him. And he explained. And I saw what they had and I wanted it.”

“They made you want it.” Ann gasped, her hands clutching over her throat. They had manipulated Mark. They had made him think it was his decision so it would come more easily.

“You’re…. You’re saying Fernando and my friendship is a rouse? A set up? It doesn’t mean anything?” That thought hurt Mark most. Ann was on her feet, holding Mark’s arms to stop him form pacing.

“You listen to me now, Mark. What you have with Fernando is not fake. It’s real. I’ve seen the pair of you together; I’ve seen the way you light up around each other. The FIA may have started it but Fernando would have been none wiser about what he was doing than you were. The FIA used it and abused it to make you compliant, to make you want Rabbit. They don’t just go showing off Racing Drivers. Fernando would have thought it was a mistake but the FIA would have set up the situation where you saw Fernando’s Racing Driver. Once you were in they could plant the need to have Rabbit. They forced the match by not forcing it.”

“But… I-”

“-You need the real friendships you have, Mark. You need to know your enemies from your friends and make sure you remember that. But most importantly you need your enemies close. It’s the best way for us to take them down; we need to know their weaknesses and how to get inside the system.”

“And what… Why was Clarkson after me? What does he want?”

“He’s not after anyone, Mark.” Ann said gently, rubbing Mark’s arms. “He needs ins, evidence, things that display just how badly the Racing Drivers are treated.”

“And you wanted me to get that for you?”

“No.” Ann pressed. “No way, Mark, I would never ask you to endanger Rabbit or yourself like that. It is on me. I’m here to do the digging for you. I’m the bail out; to make sure nothing is traceable to you so no harm comes to Rabbit or yourself.”

“Bail out?”

“None of what I’ve told you tonight changes anything between us. I am still your agent and you are still my driver. If you want me to keep all of this just between the two of us then I won’t tell Clarkson anything. I will just carry on as I was.”

“Clarkson wants evidence to get the Racing Driver’s freedom? To protect them from the…” Mark shook his head. Still some of the things Rabbit had been through haunted his sleep. If only he could get him out of the stables, keep him here where he could really protect him.

“Yes, Mark. But with or without your help it’s possible. Please do not feel obliged to do anything other than look after Rabbit.”

“Yeah, but I can’t fucking do that, can I.” Mark spat, pushing from Ann and storming from the room. Ann deflated as Mark left. Maybe she should have pretended to be shocked, maybe she should have kept her mouth shut and let Mark say what he wanted to say. But no, she had to go on and on about Clarkson and his grand scheme. Now Mark was probably going to go searching for a new agent and she’d lose the biggest inside scoop the revolution had gained.

“Problem is, with Rabbit held in that dump they call stables, I can’t do shit to protect him.” Mark announced, moving back into the room. “I want him out, I want him safe,” Ann jumped as Mark slammed a box onto the table between them. “And there has to be something in here that I can use to get him free.” Ann frowned at Mark before slowly moving towards the box. She lifted the lid, rifling through the papers to look at what Mark had given her. Her eyes widened at what was in her hands. Evidence. Evidence of the mistreating of Racing Drivers and so much more. So much evidence that could help Clarkson’s mission and enlighten the world into how poorly these beings were being treated. “I want you to take it to Clarkson. I want to help.”

“Mark, this is dangerous.” Ann warned, still flicking through the papers. Mark nodded.

“I know. But I can’t live knowing he’s stuck there and I could do something to help and then not doing it.”

“Let me be your bail out. We can work together. Then if it all falls apart this evidence falls on me. That way Rabbit and you are safe from any harm. You’ll claim ignorance that you knew about it and I’ll say I was gathering it without you knowing.”

“Annie-”

“-You agree to this or it’s not being used to help.” Ann said forcefully, putting the lid back on the box. “I’m serious, Mark. Too many Racing Driver’s have suffered already. I will not see another get hurt trying to help.”

“OK, Annie.” Mark said begrudgingly. “My word.”

“Good.”

“But we’re working together on this. I’ll collect it and you keep it safe and undiscoverable.”

“That sounds like a great plan.” Ann smiled. Mark grinned back at her.

“Awesome.” Mark nodded. “I’ll go and get the rest of the boxes.”


	9. Redbull Race Training Compound- Midseason 2001

**2001 Mid Season**

Rabbit trotted after Mark. They were going outside, he loved going outside. This wasn't a workout, though, Rabbit was in his jumpsuit and helmet, and how odd that Mark liked to workout outside, anyway. They came around a corner of the building Rabbit had never been past, and...wow.

  
He had expressed to Mark his difficulty in believing that there was something better than karts. Of course, Mark hadn't heard him. He couldn't understand, yet. That didn't stop Rabbit from chattering to him, hoping that by sheer exposure he would learn to speak. Like a Little Racing Driver, maybe?

  
If the engine in this machine was as much more powerful as the car was bigger...Rabbit lugged. 'Oh Mark. I was so wrong.' He whispered. He stroked his hands over her. He sang and she sang back, sweeter and truer than anything he'd ever heard. He put both his hands over his mouth. 'Oh Mark. You have brought me...I don't even know a word for this.' He threw both hands in the air and whooped.

  
He clasped Mark's hands in his and smiled. Mark was smiling back, laughing in his weird way of laughing.

  
Mark pressed the key into Rabbit's hand.

  
The engine was more powerful. More than Rabbit could have imagined. He watched Mark throw fingers and signal him to go. He punched the accelerator. The force that hit him was like being struck. He grunted uncomfortably, but the pull of the machine soon overwhelmed the unwanted associations.

  
He turned into the corner and immediately oversteered through the line, squashing one of the little orange flags that indicated the track layout. Breathing hard he pulled back onto the track. The steering was IMMEDIATE. A thrill went through him. He instantly calculated how much farther he could push into a corner. He wouldn't even have to brake until a heartbeat before the turn itself. The next corner was much neater.

  
'Mark. This car LOVES me!' He slalomed the chicane. He snipped the corners off the track, kissing the apexes. His heart beat faster and faster and faster. This was wonderful. No wonder the Ferrari stallions fought for drives. One of those drives was going to be his, soon. If it felt this good just to drive...oh he would be enjoying his wins. 'I have never driven before, not really. Not like this.'

  
Hesitantly, he felt like he should enter the corners just a hair higher, so he didn't have to cut as sharply. He tried this strategy and found his laps becoming smoother. They blended into perfect harmony and until he saw Mark on the side of the track, giving him the bring it in gesture, he lost all track of time. He stopped exactly even with Mark.

  
'That was so wonderful, Mark. Have you tried this? It is the best thing I've ever done, except bonding with you.'

  
Mark was pale. Rabbit clambered out of the car breathing hard. He pulled his helmet off and only then became aware that there was wetness on his cheeks. He was smiling too hard to laugh.

  
Why was Mark making that face?

  
The smile fell off Rabbit's face.

  
Was he hurt? A shot of panic went through him. He wasn't a Trainer, he didn't know how to help Mark if Mark was hurt. 'Please don't be hurt. I don't know how to fix you! Don't worry, I'll get help.' He patted Mark's face, then tried to figure out the fastest way to run and get Price.

  
'I'm glad you liked it.' It was wavering and uncertain, but it was definitely Mark.

  
Rabbit's mouth fell open. 'You can talk. Oh Mark, my strategist, you learned so quickly. I knew all my talking would help you learn.'

  
'You changed your line, when I was worried you were coming into the corners too low?' Mark was looking less pale, now. Looking at Rabbit with wonder in his eyes.

  
'That was you? It was so quiet, it was hard to tell. That was a good suggestion. Did you see how the laps tightened up after that?'

  
'I saw. You are brillliant. I'm glad you finally heard me.'

  
'I...what?'

  
Mark dragged his teeth over his upper lip. 'I was convinced I was doing something wrong. You have never heard me back before.'

  
'You have been trying to talk to me?'

  
'Since the day we were matched. I heard your name, and I didn't realize until that night what it was I was hearing. You. I have been listening to you chattering along, as you put it. You cannot believe how much I have treasured every little insight you have given me. I knew someday I would find a way to tell you I hear you.'

  
Then Mark put his arms around Rabbit and pulled him into a hug. Rabbit fit perfectly against him. He buried his face against his other self's neck. Finally. Finally. Their hearts beat in perfect synchrony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are reading this, I'd like to know about it. Please leave a comment.


	10. Redbull Race Training Compound- 2004 Winter Break

**2004 Family**

  
Rabbit woke up in his stall after the last race of the season. The race hadn't gone well, the season hadn't gone well, and he wouldn't see Mark except for winter training. He reached out and touched Glass.

  
She was waiting for him. She sent warmth to him.

  
He still had no championship to bring back to them, but more wins every year, and an increased appreciation for the role he played and the responsibility he fulfilled for them. The mares had begun to trust him, even before his matching with Mark. They had reached an equilibrium.

  
Glass filled him in on the events of the stable over the season he'd been gone. Which mares had colts, which mares had fillies, which hadn't had any. If any of the Drivers had been put down while he was gone, she would have told him about these. Their stable was still small, though, and every Driver was precious. 'Sunshine has news for you. He is very eager to share.'

  
Rabbit found the little blonde colt's mind and sent a picture of himself hugging the little Racing Driver he remembered.

  
The little colt wasn't so little anymore. He sent back a picture of himself cuddling Rabbit.

  
'I beat your lap record.' He shouted into Rabbit's mind.

  
Rabbit leaned back mentally, shushed him a little and encouraged him to go on with his story. Something was off with how his clothing fit, different than when he'd been put under at the motorhome before coming home.

  
'I have been working so hard and I got better than Boomer, and I drive the best lap ever and I beat your lap record!'

  
Rabbit could imagine him in his stall, jumping up and down with excitement to tell this story. It was nice to think there would be a selection of colts after him to fill the stable with strong world champions. He would have his championship soon and in years to come when he was older, he would be able to share the responsibility, and the stable would have lots of world champs and lots of Racing Drivers.

  
'You are fast. Can you reach it consistently?' He started patting his pockets. He hadn't had anything when he'd left. There was something soft in his inside jumpsuit chest pocket.

  
'Well not yet, but that lap showed me how to drive it better and now most of my lap times are better than any were before. I'm going to be so much faster than you.'

  
'Some day you'll be on an F1 team and you'll get to learn to be REALLY fast. Keep working hard, Sunshine.' He unzipped his suit and reached into the pocket. There was something hairy inside. He pulled it out.

  
It was a piece of dark blue furry...cloth, stuffed with something soft, shaped like a six legged creature. No, two of it's legs were coming out it's head. Those couldn't be legs. Why were it's back legs so much longer than it's front legs? He got it all lined up so its limbs were all arranged as they should be, not all wadded up as it had been when he's pulled it out.

  
It was a rabbit. The long things in it's head were ears, not legs. A dark blue rabbit the size of his hand. He had never seen this before. It had been put in his pocket, his inside jumpsuit pocket after he'd been tranquilized for the trip. He'd have known, tranquilized or not, if another human had touched his bare skin, even this long later. It had been Mark, then.

  
Mark had given him a rabbit. It's hair was very, very smooth. It didn't feel like real hair, but it was very soothing to touch. Mark knew he liked soft things. Mark knew he liked dark blue. Mark gave this because he knew he would like it. Found it...somewhere and brought it and gave it to him in secret so the handlers wouldn't know he had it. Mark wanted him to have this soothing item while he was in the stables, without Mark to soothe him.

  
Rabbit felt weak kneed suddenly. He sat down on the floor.

  
Mark always assured Rabbit that he was wanted and loved. He didn't have to give him items to assure him he was loved, and yet, the rabbit was so soft, so nice. He brushed the soft furs against his lips. He smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like comments. I like to hear from people who like this 'Verse. Do you want to talk about it? I will walk three miles in the snow to talk about this 'Verse.


	11. Redbull Race Training Compound- Winter Break 2004

**2004 Winter Break**

  
Mark had taken him out for some downtime, but the only time he could schedule was during the colts' practice. They walked out beside the track and watched the whirl of coloured drivers. The small handful of older colts were in the stallion corridor, he saw them regularly. These were all kept in a different area. Away from the mares and the unweaned foals, and away from the fillies. He laughed and tapped Mark with an elbow. What funny little creatures they were.

  
After Rabbit, and Mark, surprise of surprises, had practiced, the little Racing Drivers stood in a huddle watching them. There were several handfuls of them. These were the ones who'd been weaned about the time the herd had moved from Ferrari, or the year before, and all those weaned since.

  
'Why are they staring at us?' Mark asked.

  
'They haven't met me before. The herd stallion doesn't usually come on the track while the colts are driving.'

  
'Herd stallion..what does that mean?' His face didn't look happy.

  
Rabbit decided to be honest, it was best. 'I am the oldest, fastest stallion. It is my responsibility to keep the herd safe. Redbull is a small stable. If we were back at Ferrari, I wouldn't only be strong enough to talk to the herd stallions because I am racing with them. Grad or Bear or Shoe wouldn't ever get scheduled to practice with the colts. These ones don't know that. They're too little to remember Ferrari. They only remember me.' He gave a little wave towards the little Racing Drivers.

  
They all waved back hugely.

  
'You're the oldest Racing Driver in the whole stable?'

  
'No, the mares are almost all older, except the fillies. The oldest stallion, yes.'

  
'And you're...in charge...?'

  
Rabbit turned and looked at him. It hadn't taken him long in the world of F1 to realize that humans dealt with "in charge" very differently than Racing Drivers. 'I am the strongest. Best able to deal with threats. I am NOT very well able to deal with threats. All the other stables have multiple world champions to protect them. I am...' Honesty, 'Nowhere near as strong as a champion. They are not impressed because I am fast, anyway, just...' He sorted through Mark's mind, and brought out a picture. It was of Mark's grandfather.

  
Mark knew by now not to take Racing Driver images literally. 'You're the head of the family.'

  
Rabbit nodded.

  
Then he saw what the next question was going to be. Before it could be, he answered. 'Yes.'

  
'Yes what?'

  
Rabbit clenched his teeth together for a heartbeat. 'You were going to ask if any of them are mine, the answer is yes. And no. I don't know which ones. Their dams might know.'

  
'How many?'

  
'I don't...numbers...' He sent an image of each of the mares and let Mark count.

  
'That's 10. You have 10 children?'

  
'Little Racing Drivers. Colts and fillies, and yes, how many do you have.'

  
'None. Well, there's a kid in my life, but not...mine.'

  
'And you don't know which of these are yours? How would you find out? Ask their mothers?'

  
'Their Dams. No, I don't think they would know, either. Maybe?'

  
Mark was silent for a few seconds. 'When do they get taken away?'

  
'When they are old enough to drive. Those ones are new this year.' He indicated a handful of the smallest ones.

  
'So is one of those... one of your...Little Racing Drivers?'

  
'Unless that years was a filly, yes.'

  
'That year's?'

  
'Yes, one stud trip a year.'

  
Mark made a loud human noise, and then a series of quieter, growly ones. He was sending disbelief. 'With whatever...mare they chose? Do you get any choice in this?'

  
Rabbit was really not wanting to talk about this anymore. He couldn't talk about what happened those days, and they were getting close to the subject.

  
'Mark, you are upsetting me.' He smiled. 'Let's invite them over and talk to them.'

  
He waved the Little Racing Drivers over. They spent a few minutes talking to them, until Rabbit felt like Mark wasn't going to bring back up the subject of stud trips. Someday he would, though, and Rabbit had better have a plan ready for that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors like comments. You want to keep reading? I want to hear about it. You hate this? I still want to hear about it.


	12. Redbull Race Training Compound- Winter Break 2004, 1994

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning. Non-Con.

**Winter Break After 2004 (1994)**

Crackling electricity running across his skin. Utter bonechilling silence. His screams went unheard.

  
Rabbit surged to the surface of his mind, away from the nightmare. He pushed out of the cupboard. Closed the door behind him quietly, because habits that were beaten in died hard.

  
He yanked his helmet off the shelf. Handlers didn't mess with the helmets. He pulled his rabbit out and rubbed it on his face.

  
He breathed slowly.

  
He thought about Mark.

  
Mark had strong hands and he would have...stood in their way. Mark was trying to stop this. Mark was going to save the Racing Drivers. Mark would have heard Rabbit scream.

  
Here, now, no one could hear him scream. The wall between his mind and the rest of the herd was smooth and seemless, with no way out.

  
The sun rose white in the sky. There was snow in the air. He could smell it in the air pumped through the vents. He could feel the change in the amount of moisture in the air when the ground began to warm. He heard the quiet hum of the elevator motor. He tucked his rabbit in the lining of his helmet and put it back on the shelf. He stood in position and waited.

  
Senses heightened by the fear, he could feel the footsteps in the hallway vibrating through the floor. He could smell them. He wondered if he could get past them, could he make the elevator work? Could he make it to the stairwell? Up the stairs? How many flights before the electricity burned his senses out?

  
The door opened. Price stepped in behind his handler. The two of them stepped to the side and the handlers filed in. Two of them stayed in the door. They were all smirking.

  
Rabbit snarled.

  
They converged.

  
His fingernails left gouges in the door frame when they dragged him out.

 

_Rabbit had gone with the handlers willingly, the first time. He knelt patiently. This wasn't matching, but it was something he was responsible for, as the oldest stallion. The handlers had left him alone in the room with the barred walls. There were 3 of them standing just beyond the bars. One of them holding him in place so that if he tried to move away from the leadstick the man held pointed to his neck from outside the cage, he felt pain and struggled to breathe._

_The door opened again. A handler stepped in with one of the mares._

_Rabbit looked up at her. It had been years and years since he'd seen a mare face to face. He felt their touch, in their side of the stable. He had spoken to the older mares often. They were his tutors, had explained to him what his responsibilities would be, when he was old enough to be the herd stallion. This one was not one of the older mares, though. She was older than he was, but not so old as to have foals his age. Her name was Rock Rose, she was one of the mares who had been bought for Redbull from Ferrari._

_The handler left her inside the cage with him and stepped outside to join the handlers who'd brought him in. She stood there for a moment. When he didn't do anything, she raised her hands and explained what they were there for._

_He was trapped by the stick. He couldn't get at the handlers, he couldn't get away, either. He wouldn't, couldn't._

_His resistance was ended by the door slamming open and Price and the Trainer storming in. Price snarled at him through the bars._

_Desperate explanations of the unacceptable demands of the handlers were met with, instead of sympathy and protection, further unacceptable demands. Price was let into the cage with Rabbit and the now whining, panicky mare. He faced up to Rabbit and stared down at the younger Driver. 'You are upsetting the herd, and worse, you are upsetting the Ferrari herd as well. You need to stop this before you draw the champions' attentions.'_

_Rabbit looked up into Price's dark blue eyes. 'No! Price, I can't! I can't do this. It's WRONG.' He struggled with the throttling sensation again._

_'It's the way it IS, Rabbit. If you can't keep control of yourself, then...Just. Shut. Up.' The herds just beyond the walls disappeared from Rabbit's touch. Price's mind disappeared from Rabbit's touch. So did Rock Rose's touch. The mare looked pale and shocked by this development._

_Rabbit gestured to her. [Call for help.]_

_Her face registered no understanding._

_Rabbit's heart went into overdrive. He searched for a way out of the silence. The wall was slippery and smooth, with no way through, nothing to pry, nowhere to catch a hold. His sendings just echoed off into nowhere. Price had stolen his voice. Stolen his voice. He had to still have a voice...? He started to scream. Scream and then squeal into terrifying empty space when the cattleprod hit his back and he dropped, seizing on the floor. The electricity crackled over his skin. Utter bonechilling silence swallowed his screams._

 

He woke up in the medical wing of the Redbull stable. Waking up with the silence on him before stud trips was now Price's standard method of dealing with Rabbit's resistance. Rabbit wished he could stop resisting. He couldn't. He couldn't do something so utterly against what his heart told him he should do. He couldn't lie. Not even to Price. Price didn't deserve honesty. Rabbit deserved honesty, though. Too much to do himself the disservice of pretending he would ever accept it.

  
He prodded at the block Price had soldered into Rabbit's mind. The block that kept him from telling Mark what happened. The block that kept him from telling the only human who might ever care enough to listen.

  
No one would ever know. No one would ever hear Rabbit scream.

  
Price had made sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of this?
> 
> Leave me a comment.


	13. Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit- 2006

**Melbourne- 2006**

'You're here! Welcome to Formula 1! The fastest colt!' Rabbit sent to Sunshine, off in the Sauber motorhome.

'I'm a stallion, not a colt,' Sunshine corrected him. Rabbit got an impression of him blushing at his own boldness and inclining his head, 'Thank you, lead stallion.'

'You don't have to call me lead stallion here. We are all just Drivers on the grid.' It was soon, but he was so glad Sunshine was here.

Sunshine swelled with pride.

'Summertime!' Pedra called to them. 'Another Red Bull on the grid. Soon we will be ALL the Champions. Welcome to the big race, Sunshine.' He sent a deep wave of affection. Rabbit smiled. It was good that even the Redbull stallions who didn't live with them anymore were glad for Sunshine. It was good for him to feel supported.

Rabbit was so happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sunshine is on the grid.
> 
> Massive character development coming up.


	14. Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit- 2009

**Melbourne- 2009**

[Welcome to the team!] Rabbit hugged Sunshine. Toro Rosso had been good, but having Sunshine at Redbull with him would be better.

The little stallion squeezed him feircely. [Now it is time to start chasing Championships.]

Rabbit laughed. He was so eager. [Don't get upset if it takes awhile to catch one. Some stallions wait lots of years for theirs. I still haven't gotten mine, yet. Don't worry, your turn will come.]


	15. Shanghai International Circuit- 2009

China- 2009

'I WON! Rabbit, I did it! Our first win. Redbull's first win.'

Rabbit was in a bit of shock. He had always thought Redbull's first win would be his. Sunshine had done SO well. He smiled. Redbull's first win. Their team's first year with two Racing Drivers in the cars and their first win had come, right away, so easily. They were such a good team. This was their year. Maybe Rabbit's Championship year. His stable had won, and his colt had been the Driver to do it. He screamed in delight, and they celebrated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be happy, Rabbit. 
> 
> While you can.


	16. Suzuka Circuit- 2009

**Suzuka- 2009**

 

Sunshine passed him again. The colt was fast. Not so much faster than Rabbit, but things seemed to work better for him.

  
His car was probably better, Rabbit thought, but he couldn't understand why that should be the case. Sometimes, too, Mark would angrily tell him to slow down. Why did he keep getting mad at him for going as fast as he could? As he had vowed, he obeyed his man's judgement. Mark loved him and what Mark told him to do was for the best.

  
They had machines in the pit that knew things about the car that maybe Rabbit didn't know. He thought he could hear and feel everything about the car there was to know, but there was apparently, some mysterious force that was making it necessary for him to slow, which was not effecting Sunshine's car as much.

  
Rabbit's plan was just to keep doing his best. He told Mark about this plan, when Mark seemed annoyed that Rabbit lost again. Having a plan was the key thing. Being lead stallion had taught him that. If you lost track of the plan, it was going to be harder to get home safely. The racing just needed him to stay calm and do his best. The team would figure out what the problem with the car was and they would fix it.

  
When he told Mark his plan, Mark made a disbelieving face. Why didn't he believe him? He assured Rabbit over and over he believed he was doing his best, but that he wished it were fair for him.

  
Things got very hard for his partner sometimes. Mark needed to talk to a Red, Rabbit decided. They were the best at dealing with emotions. It was nice that their new teammate was a Red. Rabbit approached Sunshine one day.

  
'Sunny. Mark gets really mad when we lose races. I was wondering if you could ask Sebastian to talk to him...' He took a respectful tack. They were teammates here, instead of lead stallion and colt like at the stable.

  
Sunshine sent shock and incredulity. 'No. You make Mark leave Sebastian alone. I'm not going to stop driving fast just so you can have wins. If you think you can have MY match start telling ME to slow down, you are WRONG. Sebastian is my match, he wants me to win.' Sunshine's dark blue eyes flashed and for a moment Rabbit felt like he was small and being shouted down.

  
He straightened. He wasn't small. He was bigger than Sunny, and he had more wins, and this was HIS team. Sunny was the rookie. 'Mark is not going to make you slow down.'

  
'He sure isn't going to make me slow down.' Sunshine snarled.

  
'He needs to talk to a Red.' He started explaining.

  
Sunshine stopped snarling. 'Does he?' he asked, surprised. 'He's feeling too much emotion?'

  
'Yes. Since you're a Red, could you and Sebastian talk to him?'

  
A big smile crawled over Sunshine's face. 'No. Don't you talk to Sebastian, either. If Mark can't control how he's feeling. That's certainly not up to me to fix.'

  
Disbelief rose in Rabbit. He couldn't use this against Mark. Vicious little Red.

  
The rest of the season was extremely frustrating.

  
And that winter break, a new Trainer arrived at the Redbull stable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is.


	17. Redbull Race Training Compound- Winter Break 2009

**Redbull Race Training Compound- 2009**

 

The level of disgust that Mark felt when he walked into Rabbit's stall the first day of winter break and found Kimi Raikkonen and his Racing Driver sitting on the floor with his partner was unprecedented. In his entire F1 career, it was unprecedented. Ferrari's favorite little pet, who was, for some reason STILL their favorite little pet, despite having LEFT THE SPORT, was sitting in an opposing team's stable, with a rival Racing Driver. Why the fuck?

  
"What are you doing in here?"

  
Kimi stood up and put his hands in his pockets. "Thought I should tell you myself that I'm the new Trainer. In-Training. Myself."

  
Mark gaped at him. He looked at Rabbit.

  
Rabbit shrugged. He had never had a problem with Iceman, and liked Kimi.

  
Still, they were from Ferrari. Not to mention they were all best friends with Sebastian and Sunny. And he had actually seen them point and laugh at Fernando. Not Kimi and Iceman, but Kimi and Sebastian.

  
Kimi started for the door.

  
His racing Driver rolled from his crosslegged seat to his knees and rubbed his face on Rabbit's face like a cat. Forehead to forehead, they gestured farewells. Then Iceman shifted onto his knees and followed Kimi out of the room. He swung his arms, instead of putting them in his pockets. He was wearing white cargo shorts and a long sleeved tshirt, and white shoes and socks. How was Kimi getting away with letting Iceman run around in regular clothing?

  
Rabbit revved, and Iceman turned to look at him. He turned and revved at Kimi.

  
This fire brigade of communication ended with Kimi turning to Mark. "They cannot stop you from bringing him things. It is in your contract. The handlers steal valuables, though." This was all, and he went out and shut the door behind him.

  
Mark looked at Rabbit and raised both hands.

  
[Kimi is a Trainer. They have been learning for a long time. They are here to learn from Giancarlo. Iceman drives for Redbull Rally, now. Drift. Like Cooler.]

  
[Who in their right mind would agree to let Kimi be a Trainer? He must have the worst bedside manner. Is Iceman as cold?] Mark asked absently. He was really thinking about going shopping today and buying Rabbit some clothes. [Come let me see how much broader you are than I am.]

  
Rabbit stood and moved into range so Mark could size him for shirts. [They probably thought he would be a good Trainer because we all like him. What is bedside manner? Iceman is very nice, when Sunshine is not telling him to leave me alone.]

  
[Bedside manner means how comfortable he makes the Racing Drivers he is Training.] Try this on. Mark pulled his own shirt off and held it out to Rabbit. [Better check pant size, too.] He held out his pants while Rabbit shifted out of his jumpsuit.

  
[He is very comforting. It is easy to be around a human who can talk.] Rabbit untied his shoes so he could get his jumpsuit off past them.

  
[He doesn't talk very much.] Mark held the jumpsuit against himself, it would have been too big for him. Rabbit was just a bit taller and heavier set.

  
[He's too busy too talk to men because the Racing Drivers are talking to him all the time.] Rabbit pulled Mark's pants up over his shorts. They were too short and Rabbit could just barely close them.

  
[How does Iceman like transmitting comments all day?]

  
Rabbit started pulling Mark's shirt on. It was form fitting on Mark. [He doesn't, we just talk to Kimi ourselves.]

  
[You talk to Kimi. Send like you send to me, and the other Racing Drivers?] What a son-of-a-bitch, keeping a secret like this. No wonder Ferrari was so eager to lick his boots.

  
Rabbit tried to force the shirt on. [I have told you he can talk.]

  
Mark recalled some comments about the Racing Drivers talking to Kimi. He'd always just assumed this was gestures, or transmitted through Iceman.

  
The shirt was not going on. [I cannot breathe!] Rabbit grabbed the hem and tried to pull it back off. His elbows and shoulders got wedged in the fabric. The panic was immediate.

  
"Shit!" Mark rushed over and had to dodge the thrashing. He couldn't get a grip on the fabric.

  
An eerie screaming sound emited from within the shirt. Mark nearly wet himself. It was the most terrifying noise he'd ever heard.

  
Rabbit's panic was crashing onto Mark like breakers on the beach. He closed his eyes and dealt with it like he would if he'd fallen off a board and was trapped under the waves. First thing, he relaxed. He opened his eyes and waited for an opening in Rabbit's flailing. He wrapped his arms around his Racing Driver. 'Hold still, hold still, I'm getting you out. I'm here, Rabbit, I'm getting you out.'

  
'Mark! You can hear me? Mark help, please, help me, I can't get away. I can't breathe. Get me out, Mark. Get me out.'

  
Mark pulled on the tshirt until the seams gave and he could pull the shreds free of Rabbit's face and arms. He levered them both to the floor, because he could feel Rabbit's knees shaking. It took several minutes for Rabbit to believe he could breathe again. He became aware as he talked Rabbit through calming himself, that Kimi and Jaamies were in the doorway.

  
"I don't need your help, but thanks for standing there," he snapped.

  
"Trainers are not meant to interfere with matches who are properly caring for their partners. If you needed us, we had been here. You would welcome our pushing you away from him to care for him ourselves?"

  
"No, of course not."

  
"It is your job to care for him. We will not take that away."

  
He glanced up at them.

  
They didn't look like the same man, not facially, very similar, certainly, but not identical in the way some pairs did. They stood together, arms crossed, feet wide, as though they WERE one man. As though the universe just hadn't lined him up quite perfectly, and there was a double image.

  
He hadn't said they wouldn't help. That they wouldn't care, but that they wouldn't prevent HIM. That was what Trainers ought to say. They all seemed to think they knew better what Rabbit wanted and needed. FIA apparently thought Kimi and Iceman were as heartless as their image suggested. They liked souless Trainers. Maybe they hadn't broken Kimi of believing in the autonomy of bond pairs, yet.

  
"Thanks." He muttered. He turned back to Rabbit. The door closed behind Kimi and his Racing Driver.

  
He held Rabbit. Didn't know why Rabbit kept thanking him for hearing him crying for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think Mark will decide about Kimi being the Trainer at Rabbit's stable?


	18. Redbull Race Training Compound- Summer Break 2009

**Redbull Race Training Compound- 2009**

 

Summer break. It was a good refresh. Winter break was painfully long, but summer break, with the open prospects of the next half of the season ahead, was a good time to get in touch with the herd and regroup. Rabbit was following Mark down the hall.

  
In the other direction came a group of the humans that had matched with the colts in the winter, and the boys who'd matched the season before.

  
The colts had moved into the stallion corridor at the end of the winter, but Rabbit hadn't ever seen them. He still thought of them as colts. They'd been weaned about the time the herd had moved into the stable. They were matched and still younger than he'd been when he'd started training to match.

  
Rabbit had to look at them twice. Two of them were Racing Driver and match. Except both were humans. How could they match if they were both human? He'd know if one of the colts had been brought two matches. One of the boys was skinny and blond and otherwise normal. The fourth was really interesting, though, he was compact with hair as big and fluffy as Alondra's, skin the same color, and a hard, square jawline that looked just like Mark's. If Mark had been a Ferrari colt, he'd have looked like that. Rabbit smiled at the idea, and then something clicked.

  
He elbowed Mark. [Ask those boys to come over, I want to find out which of the colts they matched.]

  
"Hey guys. Come over here."

  
They turned and saw him. Their eyes went wide. They came over in a huddle, like he was going to bite them.

  
"Hi, I'm Mark."

  
They all nodded.

  
"You guys are the new matches?"

  
They nodded.

  
"This is my Racing Driver, Rabbit."

  
They all looked at Rabbit with wide eyes.

  
A skinny blonde one stepped forward. "Hi Mark, I am Dany." He shook Mark's hand.

  
The other two stepped forward and introduced themselves as Marc, Alex and Carlos.

  
[Why do they match?] Rabbit asked Mark, indicating the two boys who looked the same.

  
[We are brothers.] The boy named Marc told him. [Our Racing Drivers are twins.]

  
Rabbit knew what twins were. When two of the Little Racing Drivers were born looking the same. Oh, he hadn't known humans had that as well.

  
[What are your Racing Driver's names?] Mark asked. He made the gesture include all four boys.

  
[Ours are Me and Me.] Marc told him. [Because they don't tell each other apart.]

  
Rabbit knew them. The twins who had just been matched. The Bright Blue and the Green. Marc seemed more outgoing and excitable, Rabbit would guess he'd been matched with the Blue, but then, matches and their Racing Drivers weren't always the same colour.

  
[I'm Racing Driver alive as The hard ridge of a cliff.] The little blonde struggled with the gestures. He shook his head. "I'm sorry." He switched to English. "I can't understand how to make the words well. His name is Tyazhelyy."

  
Mark tried to repeat this name. He asked Dany to repeat it slowly, and make the sounds strong. He pronounced it correctly on his second attempt. "You know, when I was learning to use gestures, it was very hard for me. I had to spend a lot of hard hours working on it." Even as Mark said this, his hands unconsciously formed beautifully expressive gestures. "My friend told me to remember to think what you mean, that what you're thinking it will mean will show in your gestures. And don't worry about getting the gestures perfect. Your Racing Driver, and other people seeing you will be able to tell what you mean. Just think about what feeling you want your Racing Driver to feel when you're gesturing. He'll understand you." He grinned. "People may be another matter. His spoken name makes sense in, is it Russian? Yeah? But foreigners like me have a hard time enunciating as much of those soft sounds. Maybe a nickname?"

  
"Tumba means a similar thing, and it is easier to pronounce." The boy smiled hugely. He must be matched to the stone patient Dark Blue.

  
The last boy looked up when the others stopped speaking and Mark looked at him. Had he been talking to his Racing Driver? He had that sort of far away look. "Ehh." He said and then started to sign.

  
Rabbit nudged Mark just slightly.

  
[My Racing Drivers' name is Fili. He likes grip, like me. If he liked drift, I would still love him most.] Said Carlos. He smiled, pleased with himself for doing well.

  
"Well it's nice to meet you guys. Welcome to Redbull. I'll look forward to watching your careers. Work hard." He gestured goodbye and the boys retreated down the hallway.

  
Rabbit nudged Mark. 'That one at the end. That one was mine.'

  
'Your what?'

  
'My colt. Or his Racing Driver is. He looks just like Rock Rose, but with your chin.'

  
Mark turned around and stared back at the group. 'We'll have to watch his career carefully.' He grinned and patted Rabbit on the back. 'Fast is in the DNA.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Little Racing Drivers!
> 
> But this time, a little more grown up.


	19. Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi- 2010

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Championship Time!

**Abu Dhabi- 2010**

Everyone knew things could happen during a race that would upset the drive. The last race of the season had certainly proved that. He'd been so hopeful. The season had been his. That wreck, though... Rabbit slumped against the wall at the side of the room off the garage. He hadn't even noticed the power level change, and when Sunshine walked into the room and reached out, Rabbit reached back as firmly as he ever had, and it BURNED.

He was standing over him, smiling with such delight, such wonder in his eyes, that Rabbit rolled to his knees and took Sunshine's hands.

'I got my Championship, Rabbit, I finally got it.'

'You sure did, Sunny.' Rabbit was so happy for him. The colt was glowing like the sun.

'Now that I'm Redbull's first Champion, I can take over as lead stallion.'

Wait...what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gracious Rabbit is gracious.


	20. Redbull Race Training Compound- Winter Break 2010

**Winter- 2010**

'He is a Champion, Rabbit, he is the strongest, he has the right to lead the herd.' Glass sent, with a hint of annoyance. 'No one would have questioned your leadership if you'd come back Champion.'

'You have ALL questioned my leadership everytime I've ever made a decision,' he protested. Then he was silent, and she was silent, because what was going unsaid was obvious. They wouldn't have questioned him if he had been a Champion. If he'd had enough power to stop them questioning, he would have. He'd learned other ways, persuasion, logic, making the best decisions and then proving they were the best decisions. They would have prefered to have been pushed.

He understood the desire for the security of a Champion. Champions proved the stable was strong, and they were, they had dominated the grid for the seasons they had been together, and Victor and Boomer had prospered as well. Sunshine was not old enough, not mature enough to have control of the herd.

He hadn't been taught, for one thing. No one had expected him to arrive on the grid and immediately become Champion. Who had ever heard of such a thing? That was entirely what early years with other teams were for, to learn maturity before coming home to your own team.

'He's the Champion, Rabbit.'

Rabbit sighed. Sunshine was the Champion, there was no way around it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What should Rabbit do?


	21. Redbull Race Training Compound- Winter Break- 2010

**Winter- 2010**

'Please, the mares are worried, Sunshine, if you'd just listen to reason.'

'Don't CALL me unreasonable, Rabbit. If he didn't make the cut, he didn't make the cut. He'll practice hard and he'll get another seat.'

Rabbit was sitting cross legged in his stall. He could feel Glass listening to them. Watching impassively to see what the decision would be. Watching Rabbit as much as she was watching for Sunshine to decide.

Getting angry wouldn't help. 'It doesn't always WORK like that for colts like him. The ones the companies change, if the companies don't think the changes made them better, they don't wait for them to GET another seat. If the changes don't make them win, they don't even let them breed. If they fail, that's IT.'

He felt a wave of fire from Sunshine. Offended.

'We have to do something. Talk to Seb, have him talk to men, to see if there is a place. Talk to the other Drivers on the grid. I will help you. We will take some time out of the practice to talk to them, maybe one of the older Drivers, or one of the smaller teams. You could ask the Rally Drivers. For that matter, you could have Sebastian speak to the Racing Rider's Trainers. 73 would speak for him. The twins always liked him.'

'He is not a Rider...' Glass started.

'Their stables are much more leinient. If he could find a place, for awhile, it could save his life.'

'It doesn't matter. I am not going to skip practices. I don't have time to negotiate for some colt who isn't fast enough. If I force him onto some team where is isn't even wanted, even if he does win, what good will that do? No one would be happy on a team where everyone cheers against them. Where winning is the only thing that helps. No. If you two want to try and find someone who wants him, go ahread and try. I have to practice.' He turned his attention away from them.

'His best friend is a Rally Driver, it wouldn't hurt to ask,' Glass sighed.

'I'll talk to Cooler for him. It will be easier when he realizes he can balance the responsibility,' Rabbit consoled Glass. When her connection faded, too, he put his chin to his chest and sighed. No one had to teach him responsibility. Tact and methods, yes, but not the drive to take care of the stable.

Sunshine was young, he reminded himself. Cooler told him that, according to his match, Tom, some reps from another stable were in the building. Orange stable reps. Orange stable was slang for a stable with teams that raced long races. Endurance racing typically favored Orange Drivers, regarded as the most patient Drivers.

Where was Mark, now? Eating in the office space and filling in boxes on paperwork. 'Mark, I need you to be ready to go to the offices. We're going to make a new friend.'

He sent to the young stallion who'd lost his seat. 'Please put the idea in Brendon's head that he wants to go to the offices. I'll give you some clearer directions in a moment.'

'Yes, stallion. What is going on?'

'Well, Kiwi, I was just thinking- wouldn't it be nice if races lasted longer?' Someone had to do something if Sunshine wouldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do you think Rabbit doesn't respect Sunshine's leadership?


	22. Redbull Race Training Compound- Winter Break 2010

**Winter- 2010**

[I tried telling them, but they won't listen to me. I could force them, Rabbit you KNOW I could force them, but I don't want to have to do that. I need you to stand behind me. They trust you. I need you to talk to Price.] Sunshine and Rabbit were standing alongside the track, waiting for the youngest fillies to finish practice before the matched Drivers started.

[Price is not going to listen to me,] Rabbit could barely open his fists enough to gesture the signs. Sunny knew that, why would he even ask?

[Have you SEEN the man they're trying to match him with?  Max is much too little, if he bonds with him, that will be the end of his racing before it even starts. How can you accept that? You, defender of the helpless. Or are you angry because he beat your best lap time? Is that why you won't help him? He is a threat?] Sunshine cracked his fingers with his thumbs.

Rabbit turned his helmet from where he had been watching the fillies race, to stare at Sunshine. [I want to help him, just like you do.] Keeping him from matching and killing any chance he EVER had of a career would not be doing Pilot a favor.

[Yes, you're all kinds of help until someone proves they're better than you. Then they're the enemy. Right?] Sunshine stepped up chest to chest with him so their helmets knocked together like two bulls.

[I am not threatened by Pilot. I am not even threatened by YOU. You just step back from me.]

[You're so pathetic, Rabbit,] Sunshine threw his arms out. [If I'm not a threat, race me.]

Rabbit threw his arms out to the sides as well, pressed his chest, well, ribs, to Sunshine's chest and growled, low in his throat. [I can still thrash you, colt.]

[I am your lead STALLION!] Sunshine snarled and headbutted him.

Then there was handlers, and lead sticks, and truncheons, and they spent the night chained to beds in the medical center.

That was the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww Max (See Redbull Boys' Roadtrip and Gone Cold chapter 17 for further explanation) 12 years old and already stirring things up at Redbull.


	23. Photographs- Box 1

**AFTER 2009**

  
There were pictures from the stables. Some of the trainers got attached sometimes. It was rare, but some of the files had snapshots in them. Jamie, age 13. The inscription of the name and age was all that was written across the back, but it was young Jaamies, with his helmet off, in profile, looking down at something on his kart. He had shorter hair, and he was wearing white, but it reminded Mark a lot of a picture floating around of Kimi at the same age.

  
Another was a group shot of Redbull's colts, the ones who had hopeful futures in racing. In fact, not just hopeful futures. He'd seen some of those faces repeated in the hallways. He knew some of those faces. In the back corner, hidden almost entirely behind another colt's hat was a pair of dark blue eyes he'd know anywhere. It must have been Sunny's last season before being matched, judging by Tumba's age in the photo. He was off in the front corner, grinning like the postercolt for Blue Racing Drivers. Pleased as punch to be out in the dreary weather, probably driving in the rain.

  
And then there was the picture of a scrawny teenager, his race suit way too big for him, barely in control of his long limbs, hiding under a mop of long hair, who would eventually metamorph into the regular featured, only awkward for social reasons, Mark Webber, climbing into a kart for a picture, while another boy, similar age, though not as awkward, watched him explaining something over his shoulder. The picture said the Racing Driver watching him was named Lucky, and Mark didn't remember his match's name. He did know the picture was in the file because of Lucky and not because of him, but it had been funny to find it, just the same.

  
It did make him feel better to know that Racing Drivers, usually trim and svelte by the time they made it onto the single seat tracks, went through a gawky stage, just like their human counterparts, and in some cases even more so. He hated to use the phrase, but they tended to get leggy like colts.

  
He'd seen, but been unable to acquire even a copy of, a picture of Valterri Bottas' Racing Driver at about 14, bony and long legged like a junior basketball player in the 1980's. He'd been smiling placidly, holding his helmet tucked under his arm, wearing a jumpsuit that was clearly fitted to a much broader Driver, and was merely long enough for his limbs.

  
His most prized picture was of Rabbit at about 4, it had to have been very shortly after he'd been weaned, he was so young Mark had paged past the picture twice before it had struck him that he ought to look more closely. Rabbit was kneeling down on the far side of a kart, looking under the front wing. His face was clearly visible past the front edge of the kart, but he wasn't the focus of the picture.

  
The young Racing Driver holding up the cart while two others looked under it, was a probably 11 year old double for David Coulthard. The two blondes who were looking at the underside of the kart were probably 8 and 5. Pedra, who would grow up matched to Rubens Barrichello, and Stig, who would grow up looking like, but not matched to Ben Collins.

  
It was funny that this picture should exist. A picture of Pedra and Rabbit and Stig. And a little Racing Driver with no name. Just 3556A.

  
Mark had found this picture just after he started his search for evidence. Mark and Ben had gone further without being matched to their intended Racing Drivers than most men ever could have dreamed of. Mark hadn't bonded with Rabbit until he was 25, and Ben had never bonded with his at all. And David had shown up in F1 with no Racing Driver, just the years of conditioning a match went through in order to bond.

  
Mark loved this picture, and he hated this picture. He knew, by now how FIA worked. There would be a record somewhere, that no one would ever see, and it would be a note about a Little Racing Driver who didn't survive, and another note about the decision not to waste what could be a reasonably profitable career for the intended match. But that would be it, there would never be any more than a blip in the records, and a single snapshot, to prove that David's Racing Driver had ever lived.

  
This was Mark's thesis. The thing that kept him motivated to keep fighting. The proof that FIA let Little Racing Drivers die without names, and then killed their memory, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What other photos might be out there? What other secrets?


	24. Silverstone, Britain- 2011

**British GP 2011**

  
Convergance of circumstances. Sunshine was pacing. Rabbit walked into the garage, he noticed the champion stallion's agitation immediately. He turned and waved at Oz. When he turned around, Sunshine was there. Rabbit looked at him. His hair was mussed. He'd been running his hands through it. He was using his thumb to pop the knuckles of each of his fingers in succession.

  
Mark had scrounged some good paperwork that morning, Oz was on the grid for the first time, and Rabbit had gotten pole. It had been a good morning. It was physically painful knowing what was coming. If he could just drag his eyes off Sunshine's and lock them on the floor, this would end. All he had to do was admit that Sunshine was stronger than he was. Part of him craved the end of the tension that submission would provide. Not like this. Never like this. So he stared brazenly at Sunshine.

  
The weariness must have been clear to Sunshine, because a flash of rage crossed his face. [Congratulations.] He gestured.

  
Rabbit was floored.

  
The effort it took to drag this out of himself was visible. It was the first time the younger stallion had ever acknowledged Rabbit's hard work.

  
Rabbit couldn't help but be suspicious. This was going to come with some sort of follow up insult, wasn't it? [Thank you.] Should he congratulate Sunshine? He surely thought he himself deserved pole position, would he be annoyed if he was congratulated on a lower position? [You drove well. I'm sure you will do well in the race.]

  
Sunshine smiled and nodded. [Thank you, I'm sure you will as well.] Obligatory acknowledgement completed with minimum hostilities, he turned and walked away.

  
Rabbit released his breath. These little perfunctory chats could go so wrong sometimes. He turned and set his hands on the edge of a toolbox. He watched them shake. He comforted himself with the knowledge that here, Sunshine wasn't his lead stallion, he was just his teammate. He didn't have a right to Rabbit's obedience, here. Shouldn't have had a right to Rabbit's obedience anywhere. When he got his championship, this would end. Sunshine didn't have a lead stallion disposition, he didn't really want leadership, he wanted the wins. He wanted his man to be proud of him. Once Rabbit had his championship, Sunshine could leave the lead stallion things to him and go back to focusing on racing. It was what they both wanted. Surely?

  
Rabbit's start in the race was ruined by the wet track. Pole was gone.

  
'Come on, catch up.' He caught Sunshine's smug triumph as he went past.

  
Rabbit snarled inside his helmet. They had been so good all morning, why did Sunshine and his constant, picking superiority have to ruin it?

  
When Sunshine's pit stop went on WAY too long. He couldn't help but return the slight. 'Come on, catch up.' He knew he'd gone too far the instant he thought it. Sunshine reached out and grabbed him.

  
'Hey, Rabbit. SHUT. UP.' A glass wall slid down around him. The grid disappeared. Mark disappeared.

  
The terror nearly made Rabbit's vision go black. Price never blocked out Rabbit's connection with Mark. Mark was never within range when Price put Rabbit in the bubble, but if he'd had been, he could have talked to Mark. Sunshine's bubble was a perfect, impenetrable sphere. Rabbit mewled and pawed at it. 'Mark. Mark, please hear me?' Silence, he was alone. His body was driving on instinct and he turned his attention back to it. He had to get through this race. Had to.

  
He focused on his driving. Gave Sunshine and Alondra the best fight he could. He was used to the bubble, by now, after the years of stud trips. He'd never expected to have to drive through it, though. He couldn't feel where anyone was. He couldn't hear Mark's instructions. He had to drive completely without assistance. He had to drive like a human. And it was HARD.

  
He was shaking when he finished the race. He wanted to stay in the car and rest for a moment, but he was completely unable to communicate. He had no defense against humans trying to interview him, without Mark to translate, he couldn't comprehend what body language to make or what noises to make, he had to get back to the garage.

  
In the back room off the garage he dropped to his knees. He covered his visor with shaking hands and let himself rock. He didn't know Sunshine was there, couldn't feel his approach, until he physically touched him on the back. Rabbit flinched.

  
He drew Rabbit's helmet up so Rabbit was looking at him. He waved his hands. What did that mean?

  
Rabbit gestured that he didn't understand.

  
Sunshine made a face. He unstrapped Rabbit's helmet. Rabbit tried to turn away. Sunshine didn't let him.

  
Rabbit was so scared.

  
His lead stallion stroked his face.

  
He looked away from the burning blue eyes.

  
The glass wall dropped, but only for Sunshine. Sunshine's love flooded Rabbit.

  
He hid his face against Sunshine's chest, clinging to him. This race had been the hardest thing he'd ever experienced. He was shaking. He just wanted to be taken care of. It felt so good to have someone who was stronger than him, to take care of things. He huddled in Sunshine's embrace.

  
Sunshine petted his back, 'Hush, hush, it's alright, you're safe.' He sent him care and approval, proud that Rabbit had worked so hard.

  
As he came up from the depths of the horror, he became aware that Sunshine was praising him for enduring the torment Sunshine had put him through. The disparity rang sourly in his mind. He sat up and looked at Sunshine.

  
The champion looked back at him, confused. [Rabbit, look down.] His gestured were hesitant.

  
Rabbit shook his head. He shuffled back and stood. He backed against the wall.

  
Sunshine knelt there where they'd sat. He was so soft and young. His disappointment and confusion was plain to be seen. [Rabbit, don't defy me.]

  
Not again. He shook his head.

  
[You're upset. It's alright. Come back here. I will take care of you.] Sunshine held his arms out, completely honest and open.

  
Never again. He pressed himself back against the wall.

  
Sunshine watched him for a long time, face hopeful, appealing, practically pleading.

  
Rabbit kept his eyes locked on him.

  
Sunshine resigned himself to Rabbit continued defiance. He pushed himself to his feet. [I thought we were making progress.] He shook his head. He walked out of the room, Rabbit's eyes locked on him until the door closed.

  
Then the rest of the wall dropped.

  
'Hey! What's wrong with you. Why did you shut me out? You weren't supposed to fight him for second.' Mark was there immediately. It was too much, though, and Rabbit was too shaken.

  
'I'm sorry. I will do better next time,' he sent. He couldn't deal with being true with Mark, right now. Couldn't share this with Mark, yet. He sat down against the wall and reached out to the strongest stallion on the grid, for real comfort.

  
Alondra welcomed his contact, mentally returning the hug. He turned his attention away from Fernando on the platform. 'What is wrong, Rabbit?'

  
'Sunshine. He...' With a little thrill of horror, he realized he couldn't say it. The block Price had put in to stop him from telling about the bubble was stopping him from telling about what Sunshine had done, too. He tried various ways of getting around it, but couldn't find one. 'I don't like how he acts,' he finished, lamely.

  
Alondra sent him love and appreciation. 'Some teammates are hard. You are strong. You will make it through this.' His mental embrace intensified.

  
It might have been more comforting if he'd known what was going on. It was still nice to have someone to genuinely worry about him and want to help, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Rabbit, only 3 years left.


	25. Independent Trainer Stabling Facility #423- 2013

**Independent Trainer Stabling Facility #423- 2013**

  
In the spring of 2013, Rabbit got taken away.

  
Mark went to train with Rabbit at the Redbull stable. He got worried the closer he got to the building, because he couldn't feel his touch. He walked through the staff entrance and the woman at the reception desk stopped him. She the letter that had been left for him through the sliding two way drawer and didn't buzz him into the stable.

  
It was meaningless corporate wording. All it told him was that Rabbit had been relocated to a different stabling facility. Red Bull still owned him, but he didn't live in the stable anymore. It gave him a number to call to make arrangements to Train with Rabbit at the place where he had been re-homed.

  
Re-homed. Your stallion has been re-homed. Like a dog from the pound. Bastards.

  
He called the number. When the line picked up, he tried to keep himself calm. He explained who he was and why he was calling. When the person on the other end had a chance to speak, Mark dropped the phone in shock.

  
He swore. Hopefully the fall hadn't cracked the screen. He picked it back up. "Kimi?!" He yelled into it. "Who gave you this number?"

  
"You called me, Mark. I'll give you my address."

  
"Why would I need your address?"

  
"You're going to come and see Rabbit."

  
"They fucking re-homed," shit, now he was doing it, too, "My Driver with YOU?" The woman at the reception desk was glaring at him. "Sunshine isn't living there?"

  
There was silence on the line, but that was good, because Mark was just getting warmed up.

  
"Where the fuck does Ferrari get off? Are they buying Rabbit? Why is my Redbull Driver living with a Ferrari Trainer? Isn't that a conflict of interest? And how damn long has he been there, anyway? Why didn't you call me? You could have gotten my number from the stable, or from your best friend, Sebi."

  
Kimi told him his address in a bored voice and hung up. Mark was already out unlocking the door of his car. It took ages to get to Kimi's house. Redbull could have at least given him a heads up to fly to the right country. Bastards.

  
The house was out in the middle of nowhere, except for the houses of a few other wealthy people further along the road. The only cars Mark saw where some tired looking women in maid uniforms carpooling home. There was a fence around the property and Mark could feel Rabbit's mind. The gate opened before he got to it and he drove up the driveway.

  
'Hi Mark! Kimi says park on the left hand side of the driveway.' Rabbit sounded happy. Mark parked. Around the righthand corner of the garage, from the front door, came Rabbit. He was wearing a bulky knit sweater Mark had never seen before, and a matching dark blue hat. It was still cold in Finland. Mark was dressed for Britain. He shivered and hugged Rabbit. [Isn't this so much better than the stable? There's birds in the back yard, and a bowl on a stand where they can take baths! We go out and feed them every morning.]

  
How long HAD Rabbit been here?

  
[Only since a couple days ago. I don't know if I like all the rules, but it's much easier here than at the stable. He's not so tense, here.]

  
[Kimi is usually tense?]

  
[No, Sunshine.]

  
Mark stopped on the threshold. [Sunshine is here?]

  
[Yes. He lives here. You know that.]

  
Alondra walked down the hallway and stuck his head around Rabbit. He waved at Mark. [You're here! Come, come inside, dinner is ready.] He clapped Rabbit on the shoulder fondly and went back in. Then, just inside he turned and gestured, [There is a plate for you, Mark.]

  
Why was Alondra here?? Mark pointed at the retreating Driver with a question on his face.

  
[Alondra lives with Kimi because he is Jaamies' teammate, and Ferrari lets him live here. Sunshine lives here because he lives here. Now I live here, too, because Sunshine and I cannot get along,] he said the last part slowly and hung his head. [Don't be mad.]

  
[I'm not mad.]

  
[Yes you are, I can feel your heart steaming.]

  
[Of course I'm mad, I'm just not mad at you.]

  
[Don't be mad at Kimi. It will be better this way.]

  
[Like hell. Having you and THAT one here face to face together all the time. Which one of you is he hoping winds up hurt?]

  
[MARK!] Rabbit looked angry, now. [That was an unworthy thing to say.] He sent exactly the feeling of how disappointed and displeased he was that Mark was going to spoil this nice situation with yelling.

  
Mark yelled anyway. He couldn't help it. Three Racing Drivers stared up at him from the dinner table and Rabbit stood solemnly while Mark read Kimi the riot act. Things had just calmed down at the stable, Rabbit was making real progress. Once he got over this recent slump, he would be back in the game. Sunshine was a menace. How dare Kimi bring Rabbit away from the stable and throw him right back in with the threat?

  
He couldn't help but notice Alondra's hand settle on Sunshines, when Mark called him a menace, and the grateful look Sunshine sent him, and the wave of irritation from Rabbit that he'd said it.

  
"The fighting had to stop, Mark. It was still going on at the track, at practice, at testing, even with Sunshine gone. When Alondra came here, it got worse."

  
Mark hadn't known Alondra had come here. The season had only just started. Rabbit's performance HAD taken a drastic dive at the first race weekend, but that could be attributed to a new car. Except, Rabbit hadn't been spending any time with Alondra since then, hadn't even talked about him.

  
"You told me Trainers don't interfere without being asked."

  
"They don't, if the matches are handling the situation properly."

  
"I WAS HANDLING IT!"

  
"NOT RIGHT!"

  
Mark stepped back, a collective gasp rose from the Drivers, and Jaamies stood up.

  
Kimi was red in the face. Mark had never seen the man so angry. Had never heard him yell like that. Never even heard of him yelling like that.

  
His control was back, instantly. He pulled his emotions back inside himself and the wall of ice closed back over them. "It had to stop before they killed each other." Then he said the words that ended Mark's argument, "or killed Alondra."

  
"What?" Mark whispered.

  
"Between the two of them, they have been hounding him, or ignoring him, and they are driving him to distraction. He spun out in practice three times he was shaking so bad. Rabbit is...special to him, and when Rabbit won't speak to him, keeps sending him away, and Sunshine doesn't trust him not to tell Rabbit things for Rabbit to hurt him, it is bad for him. When they are killing each other, it should be stopped. You two know it and neither of you will change. It is too much, the choice is no longer yours. Rabbit and Sunshine are under MY protection, now." The cold burn flickered out. "There is dinner. For you as well." He pointed to a dark blue plate between Rabbit's plate and Jaamies'. "It is dinner time, sit down." Kimi swung his leg over his own chair and started angrily buttering Sunshine's roll.

  
Mark felt numb, but went and sat down beside Jaamies, who passed him a serving dish of kale.

  
"We will just all have a nice dinner." Kimi growled, slamming the roll down on Sunshine's plate.

  
Sunshine made a little distressed noise at how crushed the roll had become in the course of the aggressive buttering. He turned to Jaamies, 'Jaamies, He WRECKED it!' He fluttered his hands helplessly.

  
Rabbit's hand shot across the table. It turned palm upwards. Rabbit held out his own, neatly buttered roll, and Sunshine smiled his lovely, warm, genuine smile and traded Rabbit for the crushed roll. Rabbit folded it butter side in and mashed it even tighter and nibbled at it.

  
Mark dished halibut onto his plate, thoughtfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a change in attitude. Can living together really make things BETTER? Or will they continue to get worse?


	26. Kimi's House 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been added late. You may have missed it on the first reading.

**Out of the Silence**   
**Kimi's House 2013**

  
'I won't block your connection to Mark. You've got to be quiet, though.' Sunshine petted Rabbit's face.

  
Rabbit's head relaxed against the wall Sunshine had him backed against. His fingers tightened convulsively around Sunshine's forearms. He closed his eyes. He swallowed. 'Please, I don't want to. Please don't put me in the bubble.' He had long since learned he needed to keep his eyes off Sunshine's, but the two of them ran aground on other issues instead.

  
'I need you to stop.' Sunshine put his hand over Rabbit's eyes. 'Not for long, you'll be out before Kimi gets back.'

  
'Please...' The bubble closed around him.

  
Sunshine guided him to the ground, patted his head and disappeared around the door frame.

  
Rabbit sat with his knees up, his arms folded across them. He had tears running down his face. He sniffled into his forearms. How long would it be like this?

  
There was a soft tapping on his forearm. He looked up and Jaamies was kneeling beside him, smiling softly. He gestured slowly.

  
Sunshine was standing behind him in the doorway, the corners of his mouth were down and he was holding his cheek. He gestured something halfheartedly.

  
Jaamies turned and revved, hard, turning and making a rapid gesture. [...out NOW!] His communication became clear as the wall dropped.

  
Rabbit clung to Jaamies. Jaamies made soothing noises. [It's alright, you're here. I can hear you.] He turned to Sunshine again. [I SAID GET OUT!]

  
Sunshine stomped one foot and stormed out again.

  
Jaamies picked Rabbit to his feet and led him into the living room. He had him sit down and picked up the noisy phone machine. He touched it. There was buzzing and a pause, then the phone made Kimi's voice. Jaamies revved into it and Kimi made a noise back. Rabbit watched, fascinated. It was like the radios at the track. Except human noises still made no sense, Racing Drivers just ignored the noises and sent to their partners.

  
[How did you send to him when he is so far away?] Rabbit asked. There was a slam from Sunshine's room like something being knocked over.

  
Jaamies put the machine back in it's place. [I didn't. He told me he would come here immediately if he ever heard my voice on the phone. It is for emergencies only.] Humans couldn't understand Racing Drivers' noises, either.

  
An emergency? No one was in danger.

  
Jaamies folded himself around Rabbit and held him, quietly.

  
It was a matter of minutes before They felt Kimi come into range, so Jaamies could explain that no one was injured, but Rabbit needed help immediately, and then moments after that before he opened the front door.

  
He came into the living room where they were sitting. He sat on the coffee table in front of Rabbit.

  
[Are you alright?]

  
Rabbit nodded.

  
[What happened?]

  
[Sunshine blocked all his connections and trapped inside himself, so he was alone. When he disappeared I found him sitting on the floor in his bedroom,] Jaamies explained. [I told Sunny to take the block off.]

  
[He's done this before?]

  
Rabbit sighed. When Price, the Trainer at Redbull had put Rabbit in the bubble he'd put a permanent block on Rabbit's ability to tell anyone about the bubble. The block extended to the bubble Sunshine had begun to put him in, as well. He couldn't tell Kimi. He just shrugged.

  
This behaviour from the brutally honest Racing Driver made Kimi suspicious. He touched the inside of Rabbit's mind until he found the solder in his mental wiring that held Rabbit silent. Kimi didn't usually touch Rabbit's mind directly unless they were in a Training session.

  
'Get this out!' he heard Kimi's voice to Jaamies as clear in his head as he could hear Mark. Kimi opened Rabbit's mind and let the fear pour out through himself into some vast, endless reservoir of emotion that Rabbit suspected was Sunshine.

  
It was good, because otherwise, Rabbit would have started screaming. Jaamies started pulling on the wiring in Rabbit's head. Rabbit couldn't feel it, it was all being diverted away, but it hurt, he KNEW it hurt. It was like having a bone pin dug out of the bone through all the intervening bone and muscle. It would have hurt, but it and the cesspool of rage that had drown it for so long were being suctioned away and defused into the wind.

  
When it was over, there was a raw spot where the inability to discuss the bubble had been, but the solder in his wiring was gone and the story of the bubble came rushing to the surface. [He HURT me, Kimi!!] Rabbit screamed, in and out.

  
Kimi's eyes went wide. [How did Sunshine stop you from talking about this?]

  
[Price!] Rabbit screamed, infuriated that he couldn't make this clear enough, fast enough, but it was painful dragging the explanations over the wound where the block had been. [He hurt me on purpose, hurt me, hurt me.] He made gestures that meant more than pain.

  
A wave of hatred so hot it made a Champion's touch seem soothing blazed for a moment in Kimi's heart and then was snuffed out by the wall of ice, again. In that moment, Rabbit could see into Kimi's heart. Rabbit could see that his future in Formula 1 was gone. He could see that he was not going back to Redbull for winter break. Maybe not ever going back. He could feel the satisfying tingle in Kimi's fists. Kimi took a breath and reached out to him. [I'm going to call Mark to come to you. Then I need you to tell us everything Price ever did to hurt you.]

  
It was going to be a long story.

  
\--

  
The wound made it hard to tell, but Rabbit had been aching to tell Mark, to have Mark's comfort for so long, that it was still a relief. The wound meant that unecessary details were left out so the story was told in stark, bare detail. It also meant sometimes Rabbit was in such a hurry to get it out and away from him, that he dropped necessary details as well and had to backtrack.

  
Mark's face was dark with fury and pain, and he had alternately stood to rage about the room, and held Rabbit to him to cling for mutual consolation.

  
Sebastian had arrived earlier, he lived close, so when Kimi had called him to come, it had taken less time for him to arrive. Kimi had engaged in a conversation with him that had been inaudible for the Racing Drivers from just outside in the hallway, and Sebastian had gone to Sunshine's room, against all logic, because the Racing Driver's rooms were strictly off limits to their men. When Mark had arrived, he and Rabbit and Kimi had settled in the living room that was set up for visiting matches.

  
He'd started talking about how Price had pitted him against Sunshine, knowing that Rabbit's integrity wouldn't allow him to back down, knowing that it would infuriate Sunshine, knowing Reds drove better with emotional fuel.

  
Mark and Kimi knew the basic outline of this story. It was why Rabbit and Sunshine were here, away from Redbull.

  
[He knew I would keep resisting because I never stopped resisting stud trips.]

  
Kimi's eyes narrowed at this.

  
Mark made a confused face. Rabbit had done a good job of diverting the subject every time it had ever come up.

  
[The first time I resisted, he put me in the bubble,] Rabbit told Kimi. It was too painful to look Mark in the eye and say this. Seeing Mark live it. [After I kept resisting, he would put the bubble on while I slept, so I woke up and couldn't disturb the herds.]

  
Mark put his hands over his mouth.

  
[Disturb them?] Kimi asked. He adjusted his hat.

  
[With screaming,] Rabbit was from a species who spoke with their posture and facial expressions. Mark's body language was screaming hysterically. Kimi's was quietly telling him how horrible Kimi felt that Rabbit had gone through this, and how much he would do to help. Kimi's body language was always quiet.

  
Kimi nodded, thoughtfully. [Didn't they ever talk to you and tell you it would be better if you got his samples by hand?]

  
Mark looked disgusted at Kimi, not at Rabbit. [No. The other Drivers complain about their trips, at least sometimes, and he never did, I just assumed he was coping. Oh Rabbit, I'm so sorry.] He hugged Rabbit to him again.

  
Kimi looked really uncomfortable, like he was arguing with himself. Not arguing with Jaamies, but trying to make a hard decision and do something he didn't want to do. [Mark, I'm not a medic. You need to have a doctor look at him. They've been doing this to him for 20 years.] Mark's head snapped up. [You also...you can't ever let him go back to Redbull. I know some people who might be interested in making room for you two on their teams.]

  
Rabbit flinched. He was right. Kimi was never going to let him go home.

  
Mark looked at Rabbit. Rabbit could feel his eyes, smell the fresh rush of adrenaline in his body. He didn't look up.

  
[You were just a kid.] He held Rabbit tighter. He looked over at Kimi again. [How did you even find out about all this?]

  
Kimi rubbed his eyebrow. [Rabbit, tell him what else has been happening.]

  
[When I won't talk to you at the track it's not because I don't want to talk to you, it's because I'm in the bubble and I can't. Today, Jaamies felt me disappear and came and got me out.]

  
[Price sends you to the track in the bubble? Doesn't he realize how dangerous that is? How does he...turn it on and off? We talk most of the time. How did he get to you, here?] Mark leaned down into Rabbit's view, trying to coax him into looking at his face.

  
Rabbit shook his head. [At the track it is not Price. It is Sunshine.]

  
[Oh.] Mark sat up slowly. His voice was deadly calm. [How could you let this happen? You FORCE him here, and back into that monster's range, and he's been put in solitary confinement. Do you have any idea what a NIGHTMARE that is for a Blue??]

  
[Mark! This is the first time it has happened here, and he stopped it. It's not like before, when it was just you it happened all the...] He dragged his hands to a halt, wishing he had managed it a little sooner. It wasn't Mark's fault he hadn't stopped it. He could never have known. That was the point of the block, to force Rabbit to hide it from Mark. Only someone else could have seen what was wrong. Only someone else could have heard Rabbit's screams. [It's not your fault that Sunny did this. It's mine.]

  
[You're wrong, it's not your fault that he did this to you.] The sparks of rage felt like they would ignite the world. [This is his fault.]


	27. Kimi's House - 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~FormulaFerrari

Hot fuel poured through Mark. The logical rationale had slipped from his head as Rabbit showed him everything. Explained what he hadn’t been able to explain for so long. That feeling of being closed off, of being alone; Rabbit was sending Mark that feeling. It wasn’t intentional it was just stuck to those torturous memories. Mark could feel how much it hurt Rabbit to be subject to the bubble. How Rabbit had ever made it through was incredible. With Rabbit being a blue it was the worse form of punishment possible.

Sunshine had known that. Sunshine had exploited that. Mark was going to kill Sunshine for what he had done to Rabbit.

 _Mark! Come back!_ Rabbit sent, panicked, dashing out of the door behind Mark. Mark could feel his match trying to catch up, to do anything to stop Mark storming off towards Sunshine’s room but nothing was going to work. Mark was furious. How dare Sunshine do that to Rabbit. How _dare_ Sunshine prevent Rabbit from being able to talk to Mark. Especially when he was in the car, racing. What if something had happened? What if Mark had needed to talk to Rabbit to protect him and he couldn’t because Sunshine had shut him off?

He was going to pay. The Racing Driver was going to pay for it all.

_Mark you do not understand from his side-_

_-He fucking hurt you, Rabbit. Now he’s going to pay for that._ Mark snarled down his connection to his matched Driver. Rabbit stalled momentarily as the feelings oozing from Mark overcame him. Sure, he’d experienced Mark angry before but this was an entirely different scale. His eyes flashed in panic as he found Mark’s intentions for a face-to-face confrontation with Sunshine. He darted up the stairs behind Mark.

_No Mark! You can’t touch him!_

_Shut up, Rabbit._ Mark snapped. The phrase sent ice down Rabbit’s spine but he forced himself passed it. He had to, because if Mark did as he intended too Rabbit was going to lose Mark and Sunshine in the immediate future. He couldn’t stand to lose one, let alone the pair of them.

 _Mark, Stop!_ Rabbit forced, putting everything into what he was saying. But he’d never done this before. It should work, but the power balance wasn’t going to make it easy. Rabbit doubled his efforts as Mark reached for Sunshine’s door. He could feel the Racing Driver and his match on the other side of the door. Rabbit had to stop this.

Mark didn’t even knock. He barged into Sunshine’s room, glaring around for the Racing Driver. Sunshine had felt Rabbit coming, felt the panic coming off of the older Racing Driver. He’d stood to square up to Mark but Sebastian placed himself between them, holding a defensive arm out in from of Sunshine. Sunshine’s eyes were locked on Mark, challenging, unknown to the Australian the Racing Driver was silently egging him on. Rabbit shook his head frantically, bursting into the room just as Mark began to advance towards the Racing Driver.

“Mark, just-” Whatever Sebastian was going to try and say was lost as Mark shoved him across the room, furious eyes locked only on Sunshine. Rabbit closed his eyes, focusing everything on Mark.

 _I said stop._ Rabbit gritted. He held on tightly to Mark, his grip dangerously tight in desperation to prevent his match moving any closer to Sunshine. Sunshine was in almost curiosity as Mark froze in front of him. The anger in his eyes replaced with fear as he struggled against Rabbit to move any part of his body.

_Rabbit-!_

_-You stop. I said stop. I said don’t touch him._ Rabbit growled. He’d done this before many times as lead stallion at Red Bull. Sunshine was right, it was so much easier to control the decisions when you could reach inside the target and force them to comply. Rabbit had always had to persuade his family to make the right decisions. But being matched to Mark meant he could do what he should have been able to do as a lead stallion: reach in and directly manipulate the person in question.

 _Rabbit what have you done?!_ Mark was panicking. But he was also fighting. He was trying to push away from Rabbit’s hold, trying to force him out so he could move again. Rabbit tripled his efforts, clinging on even tighter if he felt his fingers start to slip.

 _You are not to touch him. You are forbidden from touching him._ Rabbit sent clinically, the emotion of his voice lost in the effort it was taking to hold onto Mark. He felt Mark slipping into himself, the fear of not being able to move trumping his fight with panic. He was scared.

_Rabbit, please…._

_You won’t touch him._

_Rabbit, I can’t move. I don’t understand. Why are you doing this!?_

_You do not touch Sunshine. You leave Sunshine alone._ Mark didn’t understand it was for his own protection. Rabbit gripped on tighter as Mark tried to squirm in his tight hold.

 _Rabbit…_ Mark’s voice was weak, like a small child’s. Rabbit held on though. It was important he didn’t let Mark go without his consent that he wouldn’t touch Sunshine.

 _You do not touch Sunshine. You leave Sunshine alone. Understand?_ Rabbit repeated, putting as much authority into the exchange as he could. Sure, his wins may not have the same affect on Mark as it did on the other Racing Drivers but it gave him power. And it was power that he needed right now to stop Mark starting off a blood bath. Rabbit tried to sooth Mark, tried to persuade the submission out of Mark in the way he used to when he was lead stallion. From inside Mark’s head, Rabbit held out a hand to him, offering support and compassion. The scared, frightened, child-like Mark took it with a shaking hand, curling into Rabbit’s hold.

 _…Ok_ Mark consented, holding onto Rabbit tightly. _I won’t touch him._

Mark stumbled back, hitting the floor with a thump as Rabbit let go of him. Rabbit collapsed in the doorway, sliding down to the floor in exhaustion. He blinked his eyes open, looking towards Mark. His match was wiggling his fingers and patting his hands all over his body as if to check he was back in control of himself. Rabbit vaguely picked up Sunshine on his peripheral as he regained his energy. Sunshine was impressed by how well he had managed to control his human. He made a comment about how that was how a true lead stallion was supposed to behave. Rabbit shut him out, returning his focus to Mark.

 _Are you OK?_ Rabbit sent, genuine concern about his match as they both sat on the floor, regaining their strength. Mark’s hands were too shaky for Rabbit to be able to work out what he was trying to sign. He wondered why Mark didn’t send his thoughts down their connection. Cold ice poured down his spine as he sent a panicked look at Sunshine. He wouldn’t have put him in the bubble again, would he? In desperation, Rabbit reached out to anyone else. The panic eased away as Jamiees and Kimi were in his head, Kimi reassuring Rabbit that he’ll never be put in the bubble again.

 _… Rabbit?_ More relief filled him as Mark returned to his head. The Australian was tentatively toeing their connection, as if one wrong step would see his body frozen again. Rabbit poured love down their connection as he pushed himself to his feet and moved towards Mark. He reached a hand out to Mark, just as he had inside his mind, but this time there were no conditions. Mark needed to be close to him and Rabbit wanted nothing more than that.

Rabbit always loved caring for people, and having his arms wrapped around Mark as he stroked a hand through his hair filled him with contentment. They were sat far away from Sunshine’s room, hidden away in Rabbit’s and settled on the small sofa that was in there. It was perfect because it didn’t allow for them to be too far away from each other.

 _You… Stopped me moving…_ Mark said after a long time of silence. Rabbit held him tighter, kissing his temple softly.

_I had no choice. You were not listening._

_I didn’t even know you could stop me…_

_It… is not something I like to do. You left me no choice._ Rabbit soothed. He felt the brewing of anger return to Mark before Mark spoke in an angry tone.

_He hurt you. He had no reason to. He had no right._

_If you would have touched him he would have killed you._ Rabbit said firmly. Mark looked up at him. _And then he would have been killed for killing you. I could not lose you both. I could not lose either of you._

 _You have compassion for him?_ It shocked Rabbit that this fact could shock Mark.

_Of course._

_After everything he did to you?_

_He is my colt. I will always want the best for him._

_But… He put you in that bubble! He tortured you, he split you from me!_

_It was his relief._ Rabbit sighed. If he could have changed the circumstance he would have, but he couldn’t turn back the clock. He had hated the ease in which Sunshine had taken the lead stallion role. He had hated how it was so easy for the young stallion yet he himself had fought so hard and become so exhausted. So he resisted Sunshine, and when Sunshine tried to force the others into decisions that weren’t the right ones they resisted Sunshine took. They still followed by the example Rabbit had taught them. The bottom line was that Rabbit had pretty much turned the stable on Sunshine and he shouldn’t have. He should have conceited power but it infuriated him how easy it was for Sunshine when his lead stallion-ship had been hell. And Price did nothing but rub that in Rabbit’s face. Rabbit understood why Sunshine put him in the bubble. Most importantly he forgave him for it.

 _He knew what would hurt you most. What if you had been in trouble and I couldn’t get to you to know that!_ Mark sent hotly. Rabbit tried to sooth him.

_I should have conceited him, Mark. If I had he’d have never needed to put me in the bubble. It was my fault as much as his._

_Bullshit._ Mark spat. Rabbit let out a deep breath.

_I wish I could show you his mind. I wish I could show you why he did it. We all make mistakes but I pushed him to it. It is my fault as much as his that he did those awful things to me…_

_He should have found a better way. What he did was dangerous and stupid and hurt you deeply. Sebastian should have stopped him._

_Sebastian never knew._ Rabbit reminded gently. He was focusing on getting Mark to relax, to not think about all of this. It was clear Mark wouldn’t understand. With no way of showing Mark the internal pain and struggle Rabbit’s defiance caused him (there was no way Sunshine would let Mark into his mind, he would simple block him out or put him in a box) there was no way he could change Mark’s mind on the matter.

 _He should of. He should of known Sunshine was fucking with you and he should have stopped him…_ Mark’s eyes fluttered with sleep. Rabbit was carefully and methodically placing all of these thoughts and memories into a box in Mark’s mind whilst lulling him to sleep. He put the box away and locked it into a cupboard. Not inaccessible but, for now, away.

Mark needed to let go of these thoughts and relax. Rabbit was confident that Mark would always hold a resentment towards Sunshine for what the Racing Driver did. That made sense. Rabbit wished that he could show Mark why Sunshine had done it all, made him understand that it was actually a good thing for the pair of them that Sunshine kept closing him out. But he couldn’t. And whilst that was the case Mark would always hate Sunshine.

Looking up at the ceiling, as he continued to stroke his fingers through the snoozing Mark’s hair, Rabbit thought about Sunshine. About everything they had been through together, about everything they had done to each other. It hurt. It hurt to know that he had hurt his colt. He had failed in protecting his family because he had been too proud. They were equally to blame in this instant. Rabbit would always have to live with the guilt of not protecting and helping his colt. Rabbit closed his eyes, sinking into Mark and letting Mark’s thoughts fill his own head.

_I’m sorry, Sunny… I forgive you._


	28. Kimi's House- 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains mention of previous abuse. This chapter contains mention of invasive (consensual) medical checkups.

**Kimi’s House- 2013**

  
The sun was coming up brightly over the budding trees when Mark got out of the car at Kimi’s house. There was a tan SUV in the driveway. It had Italian plates.

He walked past it. It had black windows, like the van Kimi used to transport Racing Drivers in crates. He could just barely make out the crate in the back. He walked into the open garage and knocked on the house door.

Rabbit was still asleep. He could feel it. He nudged at his other self’s mind.

Kimi opened the door from the garage into the house. He turned and walked back inside. “This is Valentino. This is Mark.”

A motorcycle legend was sitting in the kitchen with his long legs dangling off one of the kitchen stools. His match was beside him and they both jumped up and came over when Mark walked in.

“I am Valentino, this is Rasoio, your Racer needs a doctor, yes?” He shook Mark’s hand.

Mark looked at Kimi. He said he knew a medical Trainer he trusted, and he’d brought the goofball of Grand Prix Motorcycling? Sure he had more titles than anyone else, ever, but for victory laps, he rode a man in a chicken suit around the track.

“Yeah…” Mark said uncertainly.

“You can do the examination in his room,” Kimi said, “Up the stairs to the left.”

[Go wake Rabbit up,] He told Jaamies.

Mark started to follow him. Kimi pressed a hand to Mark’s chest. “It will only upset you, Mark. Rasoio will ask if he wants you there. He’ll call if he does.”

\--

Rabbit woke up to the light as his cupboard door opened. Jaamies was looking at him. Outside in the hallway was a mind so powerful it’s shine made Sunshine’s look like a dull glow. Rabbit whimpered. He looked at the White Racing Driver he’d learned to trust. With whom he would trust with his life.

Jaamies nodded. Rabbit took his hand and stepped out of the cupboard. They let the powerful presence in. Rabbit was shocked by his appearance. He’d believed smaller Racing Drivers had better chance of collecting wins, that his size was part of the reason he was failing to live up to his potential. He knew driving took incredible shoulder and neck muscle, and that thick legs were a detriment.

What he knew was, obviously, wrong. This Racing Driver was thinner than Rabbit, but just as tall. Heavily muscled in the legs and not as much in the upper body. He was young, too. Maybe as old as Rabbit, but probably not. Certainly not the wizened old face he’d expected. How had it even been possible to collect that many wins in so short a time?

He had curly hair, like Shoe had when he was young, and prodigious sideburns that went all the way down his face to his jawline. He was wearing a yellow shirt and jeans and a yellow hat with a number on it. He smiled in a very friendly way and hugged Rabbit.

The calm he soothed Rabbit with was a different kind of calm than Kimi’s placid patience. It was a generally satisfied, content feeling. The Racing Driver introduced himself as Rasoio and his man as Valentino. He asked Rabbit to sit on the folding table they had brought along.

It proceeded like a normal checkup. Except Rasoio was the doctor. Rabbit didn’t have to be tranquilized to tolerate a human’s touch, because the man didn’t touch him. Valentino and Rasoio were like Johnny and Leggera, Trainer medics. He relaxed while Rasoio listened to his chest and then did the squeeze cuff. He had Rabbit make a noise, and then had him make a few variations.

He had Rabbit send him an emotion, a sensation and a memory, and sent them back to make sure Rabbit was clear minded. He tested Rabbit’s reflexes. He paused a little when he did.

[Your reflexes seem slow. We’ll look into that,] He told Rabbit. [Now I must do a more careful examination, do you want a paper raincoat?]

Rabbit got still. He didn't want to get undressed.

Jaamies stepped forward. He spent a moment forehead to forehead with Rabbit, reminding him to use his soothing skills. He brought Rabbit’s blue stuffed Rabbit and Rabbit brushed the soft hair over his lips. It was neither as soft not as plentiful as it once had been.

The two medics stood back and watched Rabbit and Jaamies’ quiet discussion about what would come next. It was hard for Rabbit to trust Trainers, after his experiences. Johnny had never hurt him, though, and Kimi never would. This man seemed good and kind and obviously understood Racing Drivers well enough to help his reach great potential.

Rabbit stood off the table and stripped out of his clothing. He touched Mark’s mind for bravery.

Detached, as though this was in no way interesting to him, Rasoio checked Rabbit’s mating equipment, running his fingers over the various areas feeling for problems.

Jaamies rolled his eyes and made a joke about stallions peeing standing up. It made Rabbit feel a little better, but mostly the mood was lightened by Valentino laughing loudly, and Rasoio directing a sharp look at his unprofessionalism.

[Lay back on the table. I’m going to tap on your belly to see if anything is out of place.] Rasoio smiled with confidence and comfort.

He got back on the table and lay on his back, closing his eyes and thinking about Hockenheimring, because it was the first circuit to come to mind. There was tapping, but nothing hurt.

Rasoio signaled against his skin to get his attention. [Now turn on your side and tuck your knees up loosely. This part will not feel nice, would you like me to hold you still? I can’t take the feelings away, I need to know if anything hurts.]

Jaamies had picked up his hand at some point and was petting it. Rabbit focused on looking up at the delicate featured blonde beside him. He turned onto his side and clasped Jaamies hands in his. Jaamies crouched, face to face with Rabbit. They watched each other’s eyes.

[I’m going to check that you haven't been damaged inside when they made you stud, just breathe.]

The first breath was a massive gasp and a cry. He squeezed Jaamies’ hands so hard he could feel the bones in them.

Mark’s mind touched his, scared, but fighting that back to send him love and reassurance and belief that he could get through this.

There were a few spots the medic’s fingers found that made Rabbit cry, and then he found the hot spot and Rabbit’s cries turned sick at the little bloom of pleasure.

Rasoio withdrew and removed his gloves and washed his hands. Rabbit went into the adjoining bathroom to compose himself and get redressed. Jaamies gave him a big hug when he came out, and from downstairs, Mark sent pride and happiness.

[Do you want Mark for the explanation?] Rasoio asked. Rabbit nodded, and they went downstairs.

Mark and Rabbit sat on the couch and Valentino and Rasoio sat in the big chair together.

Valentino started, [I would first like to say, Rabbit is a good, strong Racing Driver. He is doing well.] He smiled at Rabbit [There are 3 things that concern me about his health. The first is that he has suffered at least one rupture from whatever the handlers used to stimulate him when he was put to stud. It has been mended, but badly. There are two other places inside him that have been distended, but, there is not much to be done for those without surgery, which the company will not authorize.] Valentino made a gesture that was not a Racing Driver sign, but which Rabbit assumed indicated his clear annoyance.

Mark’s face had darkened and he was nodding. His grip had tightened at the word rupture. Rabbit thought he could remember that time, when the pain had been sharper than usual and he’d gone to the medical center and been anesthetized instead of just left to fall asleep. He’d still woken up groggy, in the medical center, but that time he’d had to stay for another day.

[The next thing is a smaller problem, but we noticed his reflexes are a little slower than should be expected. Has he been tranquilized for this visit?]

[No, Kimi doesn't even keep tranquilizer a in the house. The company sends them every time he has to move the guys. And mostly he doesn’t, because Jaamies can just push them to do what he wants them to do.]

Rasoio made an interested face, but Mark didn't pay attention.

[Had he been drinking caffeine?] Rasoio asked with all the patience in the world.

Mark’s eye contact stuttered. [Coffee.]

The strongest stallion Rabbit had ever met looked at him with disappointment. He felt awful. He liked caffeine so much.

“I know they told you when you got him not to do that to him. It’s not fair, Mark, he won’t say no to you. He’ll make himself sick for you. Caffeine is worse for them than alcohol. He really ISN’T a human with a funny voice, you know. He is another kind of animal. You know how they say chocolate will kill dogs? Caffeine makes him feel good, but it makes his reaction times slow and the chemicals that humans can process, he can’t, they build up in his body. No more coffee.”

Mark nodded at the verbal chastisement.

[The third thing is his voice.]

Rabbit cringed.

[What’s wrong with his voice?] Mark asked.

[He doesn't have full vocal range, he’s getting around it, but he isn’t making all the noises he should be able to make. It probably has something to do with the time his jaw was wired shut.]

Mark shook his head. [He never had his jaw wired shut. He’s never had a crash that bad. Not that needed that.]

Running over the words in his mind, something started to make sense. He pointed to the inside of his lips. [Wires. In here?] He clenched his teeth not quite perfectly together and hissed through them, then nodded for confirmation. [Yes?]

Rasoio and Valentino nodded.

[Yes. It changed my voice?]

Mark was staring.

[Not the wires. When they hit you, they may have damaged your neck.] Valentino told him.

Mark looked at Valentino and then back at Rabbit. [Why didn't you ever TELL me they beat you so badly you had to have your jaw wired shut?]

[I didn’t know that was what was happening. Just that I couldn’t open my mouth. Price liked to take my voice away. It was just another way. It was a long time before I met you. I forgot.]

[Forgot.]

[Mark, the handlers beat me lots of times. They beat everyone who isn’t perfectly obedient. That wasn’t even the worst time.] He showed him a memory of purple and green bruises over his most of his thighs, ass and back, over his shoulders and arms. Blossoms of red over his chest and belly, looking in the mirror at bruises in various stages of healing. He showed Mark images, with the identities blacked out, of other stallions of various shapes and sizes looking in mirrors at bruises, gashes, scars, and in one case, a milk white wrist with a 6 centimeter long 2nd degree burn. A wrist he recognized now as having an Iceman tattoo over it.

Rasoio and Rabbit made eye contact, and Rabbit passed to Mark the understanding that in the American stables, scarring was more acceptable, and many American Racing Drivers bore white lash scars across their backs.

Mark held Rabbit. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” He said in a grating voice to Valentino.

“He is underweight for his body type and height, but if he’s going to keep racing, there is nothing to be done about that. Lots of vitamins and minerals. Another disservice that caffeine does, strips away the vitamins he needs. He is really not so bad off, Mark. He is strong and healthy and happy. He has held up well under what he has been through. He’ll be alright.”

Valentino and Rasoio excused themselves and left Rabbit and Mark to console each other.

Rabbit watched Mark take several deep breaths, like Kimi had taught him, covering his face, biting back his own sorrow. He put a hand on the man’s. [No, Mark, don’t hide it. We will share it and let it ease.] He held Mark’s hands in his, and looked into his eyes.

‘It’s not NORMAL. Not everyone has to live like this. You shrug it off like it’s nothing. You have long lasting medical problems because of what that beast did to you. He could have KILLED you!’

He let him get the pain out. He let himself be held, be soothed, because it soothed Mark to fuss over him. He absorbed the great love this soothing transmitted.

He let himself share the pain of what had happened, and begin to let the frozen horror melt and drain away.

Mark frowned, chin rested in Rabbit’s fluffy hair. _I will make this better for you. I will build a world for you._

_A world where no one ever takes away your voice._


	29. Redbull Race Training Compound- 2013

**Confidential**   
**Redbull Race Training Compound- 2013**

  
Mark had been stealing files from Redbull, from stables, from tracks, from facilities, for years.

He had learned there were 3 types of files.

1) Files with Need to know information

_Redbull Race Training Compound(Redbull/Toro Rosso Stable)- 2001_

_"We don't usually get volunteers." The woman smiled as Mark filled out the forms she was giving him. Mark was barely listening, trying to get more of a reading on his Driver._

_He signed forms about the specific duties he would be required to perform for his Racing Driver. He was required to initial beside each task. Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly. Tasks upon arriving at tracks, returning to the stable, breaks._

_He signed forms about duties he would be required outside his caring for his Racing Driver. Interviews, Sponsorship events, Lifestyle._

_Then they gave him the paperwork that told him about his Racing Driver. Identifying information, history, performance statistics. That file seemed oddly thin. Maybe 20 pieces of paper covering a 24 year old's whole life._

_When he mentioned this, they told him it was just the information relevant to his care of his Racing Driver._

2) Files with Need to know information for people who need a broader picture

_Mark Webber's House- 2012_

_"This is my copy of Fili's file. Hurry up and scan it," Carlos looked out the window into Mark's garden, like Christian Horner was hiding in the bushes. He crossed his arms and bit his lip._

_"Do not worry, no one will know Mark has copied it, until it is too late," Fernando came into Mark's office with coffee. "He is very crafty."_

_Fili's file was MUCH thicker than the file any of the other matches had brought to Mark, and much thicker than the file he had on Rabbit. Even Fernando's file on Alondra wasn't this thick, and it had separate sections for each of his Championships._

_Mark opened it, and after the first few pages, his eyes popped. "This is his medical history. There's...Carlos, there's psychological evaluations here. There are reports from handlers, actual handlers in here. Where did you GET all this information??" Rabbit's file didn't contain any of this. None of the matches files did._

_Carlos looked at him wide eyed. "When I begin as an apprentice Trainer, they give me a more complete file. I must know the medical history, and learn to read them if I am to treat Racing Drivers for medical problems, and some mental problems can be made worse by illness."_

_More complete files._

_Mark felt at a loss. He started scanning the pages. Fernando was watching him. He was going to have to step up his game._

3) Files that actually explain what's going on

_Mark Webber's House- 2007_

_"You shouldn't have this here, Mark. Even though it's only a replica, if either of us were caught with this, it would be disasterous," Annie flipped through the file. "Oh my god, Mark, they really...did these things?"_

_Mark sighed. "Fernando got a quick look at some of the files, but this is the only one he could get his hands on. He says there was worse. The stables euthanize Racing Drivers all the time. It has to stop, but there's been worse."_

_"Worse than...they killed hundreds of people in these tests. Just shot these steroids into them without having ANY idea what kind of effect it would have. They SUFFERED, Mark." She was good hearted and she closed her eyes. "This isn't like euthanizations. The drugs they use for those, they just make them go to sleep. If they aren't already in pain, they never feel a thing."_

_He shook his head, "You can't know that. Maybe they're not thrashing, but they don't WANT to die, it's natural to fight to live."_

_Annie's eyes narrowed. "I can know that if I have spoken to someone who was mind to mind with his when he died, and says he just felt warm and pleasant," The words came out low and dangerous, like the coldest negotiating tactic. She meant to be taken seriously._

_They sat facing each other from opposite ends of the table for a long, still moment._

_His phone rang and he broke eye contact. His face drained of blood. "It's Fernando. They caught the guys who stole the files."_

_He slammed his fist on the table. All that evidence. Gone. Back in the hands of the companies._

_Worse than that, now they'd have people to interrogate about the resistance._

_Employees from McLaren._

_The only stable whose Racing Drivers were in contact with the Stig._

_Annie chewed her lip, clearly thinking along the same path._

_Mark's hand strayed to the cover of the file. The only one left of the lot._

_It had just become MUCH more valuable._

  
In all this time, there was one place he hadn't risked raiding.

Now Rabbit's career at Redbull, in F1, was over.

Soon Mark would never have a chance to get at these files again.

The confidential files. Every one like that secret test file. In a single locked filing cabinet. He'd had the key for years, he could just never bring himself to risk Rabbit's life like that. Now Rabbit was getting out.

Now was the time to steal Redbull's real files.

He stood outside of Christian Horner's office with thoughts of all the men who'd been caught betraying FIA over the years, floating through his head. It was early morning and the building was quiet. He'd stayed the night to keep an eye on Rabbit, a practice he'd started anytime he WAS forced to bring Rabbit back here, and keep him away from Kimi's for more than a day.

He opened the door, quietly, with a copy of the key.

He slipped inside, silently, leaving the light off. He had a little touch light on a keychain, and it provided a tiny, direct, but bright beam of light. That would have to be enough. He had set up his smart phone to take pictures like a scanner, but he would still have to turn pages like a madman to get the entire contents of the locked file cabinet.

He stilled his breathing so he could listen for footsteps in the hallway. He could only hear the faint hum of the fans circulating air. Rabbit said he could tell by the sound of the fans in the underground stables how hot it was outside, because they ran at a higher frequency to keep the air cooler.

Mark just wished they were off so he could hear better.

He slipped the second key into the lock on the filing cabinet and turned it. He slowly squeezed the latch and eased the drawer back.

CLUNK!

The noise made Mark's heart jump into his throat. He looked around like Christian would have materialized under the desk to catch him.

The drawer was caught on something. He eased it forward and felt it catch again, this time quietly. He aimed his light at the spot.

There was another lock. Inside the drawer, only accessible once the lock on the front had been opened, allowing this slight amount of space. It was centered in the top of the drawer face, and locked to something inside. There was a keyhole in the top, but he hadn't known about this, he didn't have the key. There was a metal cover extending a little way into the space, to keep anyone from pulling files out on either side of the inner lock. He could see the edge of it, just under the body of the cabinet, but there was no way he could get anything out.

He tried the key to the front of the cabinet on the desperate hope that it would be the same, and then the key to the office door. Neither were even a compatible size.

"Losing another one to goddamn Volkswagen."

The words would be burned into Mark's mind for the rest of his life. He heard them so clearly that afterwards, he swore the voice came from just outside the door.

It was less than a second before there was a key in the lock. The real key.

There was nowhere to hide. The desk didn't even have a modesty panel. There was no time, anyway. The door opened.

Framed in the doorway was Christian Horner. Mark knew he had been matched at one time, and as far as he was concerned, it was proved right then, because, though the light from the hallway must have been like a beacon illuminating wide eyed Mark Webber crouching by the partly unlocked confidential filing cabinet in his office, Christian's face didn't even twitch.

"I'll just get that for you, Helmut," He said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He turned on the light.

Mark was utterly, utterly frozen, all he could do was watch him approach, like a rabbit watching a predator approach to take it's life.

Christian didn't make eye contact with Mark.

He walked across the room, leaned down and opened the front of the confidential filing cabinet with his own key, unlocked the inner lock and left it sitting in the lock mechanism. Then he picked up a file from his in-tray and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Here it is, the loss/profit on selling that damn troublemaker to Volkswagen. It's a clear cut deal, we'd be fools not to get rid of him while we can." His voice faded as the two men walked back down the hall.

Mark's eyes stayed locked on the door for a long time.

Then they drifted back to the key left in the cabinet.

He didn't have time to think about whether he should, he wrenched both drawers open and pulled the armloads of files out. He had never turned pages so fast in his entire life. Rabbit himself couldn't have moved more quickly.

He had the entire cabinet scanned in half the time he had allowed himself, even without the margin for error. Even the micro cards that had been tucked into every file.

He left everything exactly as Christian had when he'd left the room and locked the door behind him. As he walked down the corridor, to Rabbit's stall, fighting the urge to vomit copiously on the tiling, he thought, "If I can just get us out of here alive, I am going to make SURE Christian Horner's name makes it onto Jeremy's safe list. I'm getting you out of here, Christian. I'm not going to let you go down. Not like one of them."

Christian had just given him the most valuable files any Top Gear Agent had ever brought.


	30. Mark's House- 2013

**Closing Ranks**   
**Mark's House- 2013**

 

Mark rifled through his papers again. As if there would be something different. He got up from the desk and scooched past the stacks of cardboard banking boxes. Miles of printed copies from the confidential files at Redbull. He needed some water and a refill of coffee. He should take a ride on the bike, too.

He couldn't let physical training lapse just because he needed to spend every possible minute finding a new drive for Rabbit. That pissed him off, but he couldn't think about it. At least Sunshine wasn't just pushing Rabbit out. Sebastian would be hunting for a new drive too. It wasn't as critical for Sunshine and it would be easier for the 3 time champ to get a new spot.

Maybe if he had been a little more willing to play fair, Rabbit wouldn't be as hard to sell...

No. Don't start down that road again.

He should go for a ride. He needed to valve some energy.

He headed upstairs to change into his bike gear. The phone rang. In the office. A callback!! He ran down the stairs and started climbing over boxes of evidence. Three rings. Four.

He knocked over the last stack of boxes in his hurry to get around the big oak desk and reach the phone. Files spilled everywhere.

"Gday!" He yelled into the phone.

"Mark? Hello."

Who's voice was that?

"Yes, this is Mark Webber."

"It is Timo Bernhardt calling. I was given your number. I am aware of a team looking for a driver. Would you like me to speak to them? We can set you up a test."

Mark knocked the pen cup off the desk in his excitement. "Of course, what team?"

"Porsche LMP1."

Porsche. Endurance racing. It took only a heartbeat to realize how good Rabbit would be in the WEC. On a team with equals. Close friends whose success depended on one another. "Absolutely, tell them I'd be thrilled to have a test."

"Great. I almost wasn't sure you were really looking for something. When Sebastian asked me if we had any spots for a great driver, I wondered if he was just trying to get rid of you." Timo's voice came to a laugh.

Mark's eyes narrowed, he shifted mental gears smoothly. "Well, you know the media, they like to blow nothing up into something."

"Alright, I'll have the team get ahold of you for your test day. I'm looking forward to it." The line disconnected. Mark set down the phone. Sebastian...huh.

He walked around the side of the desk to the boxes he'd knocked over. The lids had come off and the files were on the floor. He started picking them up. Some of the pages had spilled out. A familiar face caught his eye.

Carlos Sainz Jr. Son of the rally champion, matched to Rabbit's colt. This box wasn't marked personnel files, he'd gotten all of those years before. This was from this year's concentrated pillaging of the back rooms of the archive. He flipped open the file. There was only about a page of the usual race results and stats. The rest was medical notes. The Racing Driver's serial number had an EXP on the front of it. It didn't, of course, refer to him by his name. He flipped through until another serial number caught his eye. One he knew by heart. 0004D2December1978. Rabbit.

He read the report. Then he reread it, and then the rest of the file. He stopped and looked out the window for a long time. Then he set the file down. He changed and went for a very, very long bike ride, until he had no energy left with which to rage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, we'll find out the secret about Fili and Rabbit.


	31. Mark's House 2013

**Files**   
**Mark's House- 2013**

 

Mark rifled through his papers again. As if there would be something different. He got up from the desk and scooched past the stacks of cardboard banking boxes. He needed some water and a refill of coffee. He should take a ride on the bike, too.

  
He couldn't let physical training lapse just because he needed to spend every possible minute finding a new drive for Rabbit. That pissed him off, but he couldn't think about it. At least Sunshine wasn't just pushing Rabbit out. Sebastian would be hunting for a new drive too. It wasn't as critical for Sunshine and it would be easier for the 3 time champ to get a new spot.

  
Maybe if he had been a little more willing to play fair, Rabbit wouldn't be as hard to sell...

  
No. Don't start down that road again.

  
He should go for a ride. He needed to valve some energy.

  
He headed upstairs to change into his bike gear. The phone rang. In the office. A callback!! He ran down the stairs and started climbing over boxes of evidence. Three rings. Four.

  
He knocked over the last stack of boxes in his hurry to get around the big oak desk and reach the phone. Files spilled everywhere.

  
"Gday!" He yelled into the phone.

  
"Mark? Hello."

  
Who's voice was that?

  
"Yes, this is Mark Webber."

  
"It is Timo Bernhardt calling. I was given your number. I am aware of a team looking for a driver. Would you like me to speak to them? We can set you up a test."

  
Mark knocked the pen cup off the desk in his excitement. "Of course, what team?"

  
"Porsche LMP1."

  
Porsche. Endurance racing. It took only a heartbeat to realize how good Rabbit would be in the WEC. On a team with equals. Close friends whose success depended on one another. "Absolutely, tell them I'd be thrilled to have a test."

  
"Great. I almost wasn't sure you were really looking for something. When Sebastian asked me if we had any spots for a great driver, I wondered if he was just trying to get rid of you." Timo's voice came to a laugh.

  
Mark's eyes narrowed, he shifted mental gears smoothly. "Well, you know the media, they like to blow nothing up into something."

  
"Alright, I'll have the team get ahold of you for your test day. I'm looking forward to it." The line disconnected. Mark set down the phone. Sebastian...huh.

  
He walked around the side of the desk to the boxes he'd knocked over. The lids had come off and the files were on the floor. He started picking them up. Some of the pages had spilled out. A familiar face caught his eye.

  
Carlos Sainz Jr. Son of the rally champion, matched to Rabbit's colt. This box wasn't marked personnel files, he'd gotten all of those years before. This was from this year's concentrated pillaging of the back rooms of the archive. He flipped open the file. There was only about a page of the usual race results and stats. The rest was medical notes. The Racing Driver's serial number had an EXP on the front of it. It didn't, of course, refer to him by his name. He flipped through until another serial number caught his eye. One he knew by heart. 0004D2December1978. Rabbit.

  
He read the report. Then he reread it, and then the rest of the file. He stopped and looked out the window for a long time. Then he set the file down. He changed and went for a very, very long bike ride, until he had no energy left with which to rage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Sebastian looking for a drive for Mark a good thing? Or a bad thing?


	32. Dunsfold Aerodrome, Top Gear Test Track and Studio- 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based directly on an actual episode of Top Gear.
> 
> Series 20 (depending on if you count the missing 1st season) Episode 6.
> 
> Mark Webber's second Top Gear appearance.
> 
> Mark's interview and the British Motoring Film can be found on youtube.

**Mark Webber’s House- 2013**

"Do you have plans on the 31st?" Mark hung the phone between his ear and shoulder and went through the file again. Hare's file. He set it on the desk next to Fili's file. With the added notes he'd found in his last run of stolen Redbull files.

"Yes." Mitch Evans said, slowly. "There's this girl..."

"Reschedule her, this is more important." He pulled the next file out of the box. Brendon Hartley's Kiwi. He put it with the other three.

Mitch knew Mark well enough to take this seriously. "What is happening on the 31st?"

"I want you to go on Top Gear with me. They'll get Hare out of the stable for the day. This IS about what you think it's about."

"Is it over?"

"Not yet, but this is going to be big. Jeremy's ready to call them out. He's letting them know he's coming for them. This will be his declaration of war."

There was a long inhalation on the other end of the phone.

Mark turned to another file box, a much older one and pulled out two more files. Rabbit and Alondra. Alondra's was one of the thickest files of any he had, and it had been the hardest to get. He'd had to burn a lot of favors for this file.

He propped his feet up on a stack of file boxes. Mitch was still processing.

"Of course I'll be there."

"This means the end is in sight. You need to be ready, when it's time to go."

  
**Dunsfold Aerodrome, Top Gear Test Track and Studio- 2013**

  
They met at the airfield. Mitch had arrived first and he was sitting a table clearly inspired by a Spitfire fighter plane, with James May, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and two Racing Drivers in sunglasses and white shirts.

The blonde one, who was lounging with his feet out in front of him, crossed at the ankles, pointed at Mark when he came around the corner of the building and gestured, [Is this your son?] Pointing at Mitch.

Mark laughed, [He is matched to Rabbit’s colt.]

[Good enough,] Stig gestured, standing up. He stood close to Mark. They hadn’t seen each other face to face in years, and Mark didn’t really think of him as looking like Ben, anymore. He’d long ago learned to see the Racing Drivers for who they were.

Stig was clearly warring with himself about something. He put his arms around Mark, lightly, patting him firmly on the back and then moving away, quickly.

Mark tilted his head in confusion.

[He told me, what happened.]

[Leaving F1?]

Stig shook his head. [With Sunshine.]

Mark’s skin chilled.

[You of all people know why we’re doing this. Over and over again, you know. For all the reasons any of us have.] He leaned close with a sincere expression. [When they make it hard, remember that. There is someone else out there who has experienced each piece of what you have gone through. You keep strong so they never have to feel it again, and so none of his foals,] He gestured behind him at Mitch, [Have to face it at all.]

He stood and looked at Mark, like he was trying to write it on the back of Mark’s eyeballs with his brain, and then at the same moment, they both looked away.

James May brushed a hand over Stig’s as he came to greet Mark. They waited until a truck came carrying Rabbit and Hare, and let them out, for Rabbit’s lap as F1 Star in the Reasonably Priced Car.

  
**Dunsfold Aerodrome, Top Gear Test Track and Studio- 2013**

Jeremy interviewed Mark, and Mitch stood prominently in the crowd, so in every shot he was clearly visible, literally standing behind Jeremy Clarkson.

Rabbit was sitting in the productions office, elbows on knees with Hare and the Stigs, watching the monitors open mouthed.

“Over the years you’ve had a number of car accidents, let’s be honest,” Jeremy said.

‘Yes, a LOT of crashes,’ Rabbit agreed, into Mark’s mind. ‘It’s the price for racing.’ There was a maniacal little chuckle in the sending that Mark just loved. The passion for driving even after all these years.

“If you’re going to race cars, mate, you’re going to crash cars,” Mark said calmly, trying to hide the little smirk.

Jeremy brought up the picture of the crash Mark was supposed to react to, showing his great pain at Rabbit’s suffering and for a moment, Mark was taken aback.

He remembered it so clearly.

The picture had captured the split second after the crash had started, before it had ended. The silver Mercedes had left the ground, and was vertical to the track.

It was about to come down in a shattering mess.

It wasn’t Rabbit’s crash.

It was Le Mans 1999, a year before Mark had matched with Rabbit. It was a picture of Mark crashing.

He could feel Rabbit flinch away from the memory. He’d probably never seen it, before. Mark shared his memories of racing with Rabbit, and didn’t intentionally keep the crashes secret, but it wasn’t necessary to remember them in graphic detail for Rabbit’s horrified observation.

“I say a car crash, that is a plane crash going on,” Jeremy said. When they’d discussed this segment, the plan had been to use a crash Rabbit had been in and have Mark tell about it for Rabbit, and what he’d felt watching Rabbit. Now Rabbit was reacting, a building away, to something Mark had gone through, and Jeremy clearly had no idea they’d chosen the wrong picture.

“How did that happen?” Jeremy asked.

And Mark answered for himself. His first interview about his own driving in a decade and a half, “Yeah, so, actually in that era, in the late nineties, the cars were super unsafe, so a lot of cars were flying, just the regulations.” He spoke slowly, remembering what it had been like.

A lot of those Racing Drivers had never walked away. A lot of their matches endured false recoveries and retirements. And human Mark Webber had experienced a crash like that and lived.

“So you’re sitting in there, thinking…”

‘What were you thinking?’ Rabbit asked.

“I’m thinking um,” He’d been meant to use Rabbits words and instead, he spoke to Jeremy, but chose what he wanted to say to Rabbit. “Obviously, I’m now out of control. Believe it or not, I’m now out of control.”

Rabbit laughed. ‘I could have gotten it back,’ He smirked.

“So, as arrogant as us boys are, I have now lost control of the car, that’s gone.” He repeated himself, trying not to give in to the laughter.

“Do you find yourself in a situation like that, braking?”

Flying through the air, yes, his foot had been jammed to the floor on the brake pedal. “The brake lights’d probably still be on, yeah.”

There was a chuckle from his Racing Driver.

Jeremy mimed shaking a steering wheel. “Why isn’t it slowing down?!”

That got a big laugh.

“Now the thing is,” Jeremy continued, “You walk away from those accidents, which is, of course, quite remarkable, go cycling, in was it 2008?”

“Yeah,” Mark said.

“Bump into a Nissan Terrano, I believe was the vehicle,”

“Yeah,” Mark said.

‘What kind of car is that?’ Rabbit asked.

Mark showed him a picture of the SUV. “It won, mate, it won.”

“And you, broke your leg?”

‘I remember that! That was awful. You broke your shoulder, too didn’t you?’

“Yeah, shoulder,” Mark thought back uncomfortably about Rabbit being unable to drive until Mark had healed.

“Because this is what I think we need to impress upon children watching-”

He could see where this joke was going. Jeremy was a well known anti-cyclist.

“Is that don’t get a bicycle, cause they’re dangerous.”

Now it was time for the big discussion.

“You’ve just, as we said in the introduction, handed your notice in. Why, where are you going? What are you gonna do?”

“Timing’s right for me, mate, bit of a break, from what I’ve been doing for the last 14 years.” He let himself show an edge of Rabbit’s sadness. The premiere class was where Rabbit wanted to be. He still had wins left in him. He still had a Championship left in him. “I’m going to race with Porsche, anyway. I know you love Porsche’s.”

“Oh, the 911 is such an interesting car,” Jeremy said blandly.

It wasn't the 911 that meant anything.

 

  
_“So tell me,” Mark said, meeting Jeremy Clarkson in person for the first time, discussing the resistance, “What happened to your Racing Driver?”_

_“Mark!” Annie grabbed his hand in rebuke. “You don’t ASK someone that!”_

_Jeremy flushed pale, and he closed his eyes and that was all it took for Mark to trust him._

_He listened to the story of two Porsches anyway. The one that brought Blue into Jeremy’s life and the one that took him away again._

_If Jeremy’s immediate reaction made Mark trust that he cared for Racing Drivers as deeply as Mark did, the reverence in the way he said the make of the Porsche Blue had driven the first time their bond had become real to Jeremy, the first time Blue had spoken to him, and the fact that he said the make of the one Blue had died in, not with loathing, but with desperate, childlike grief, convinced Mark that he would be his ally. And that he wanted to be Jeremy’s friend._

 

  
Mark swallowed and gave a single nod.

“Cause, no, what worries, do you think you’re getting out at the right time from Formula 1? Now that we’ve got the tires going off like they do. Is that just getting a bit wearisome, you’re in the car, the car’s going well, you know the track, you’re in the groove, and you know that if you push hard, your tires will wear out and you simply can’t win?”

Rabbit hated the fucking tires.

Mark tripped over this statement, trying to find a diplomatic paraphrasing. “It is very different, mate, from how it used to be, like you say,”

He gestured, [It’s unacceptable.]

“That’s what we’ve gotta learn and get on with it, and we’re supposed to be at the top of our game,”

He gestured, [This needs to be fixed.]

“You’ve got to be able to push.”

He gestured, [Top Gear.]

“In Formula 1 it’s about us boys, on the limit, absolutely all the time.”

“It should be,” Jeremy said.

Mark pinched his mouth into a tight line. “It should be, yeah.”

But it wasn’t.

“So are you gonna miss your teammate?”

Mark took a second. Stig had said they knew what happened with Sunshine. Did just Stig know? “Um…” He said, protractedly.

Jeremy looked around at the laughing crowd.

“Am I gonna miss Seb, uh....” He played to the crowd a little longer. “Probably not a huge amount, uh, no.” Time for the diplomacy. “I think in a competitive environment obviously there’s always going to be a bit of needling, there’s a lot of issues between us, obviously, that’s gone before.”

“Did it start in Malaysia when he suddenly lost the ability to hear?”

Mark froze. Were they doing this?

“It was basically, don’t overtake Mark. He heard everything apart from the “Don’t.””

‘No one needs to say this, it’s between us,’ Rabbit murmured.

Mark closed his eyes. His jaw was clenching on it’s own. He could see Mitch, behind Jeremy, suddenly, gritting his teeth.

“Well, you’re an Aussie,” Jeremy raised a fist, “Have you never felt tempted to,” He waved it a bit.

Mark screwed up his face, because suddenly Rabbit was pushing into his mind. ‘I don’t like that! I don’t think that’s funny. Tell him to stop!’

He was spinning. There was laughter and agreement.

Jeremy made a punching motion. “This is for Gallipoli, BLAM.”

Rabbit growled and retreated, one of the Stigs working at calming him.

“There’s a lot of people saying yes, so I’m really concerned,” Mark said, lightly, pointing around at the crowd. “My dad always says you shouldn’t hit boys, mate, so.”

What his dad always said was good fathers don’t hit their sons.

He couldn’t think about that, now.

Why had that come up, anyway?

There was laughter and applause. Mark licked his lips.

There was a spark of pain from Rabbit.

His eyes went to Mitch, standing behind Jeremy.

Colts.

They watched Rabbit’s lap. Hare had been allowed to try as well, but only the Racing Drivers had been timing it, so other than Rabbit’s satisfied assurance that he’d “Done well,” Mark had no idea what kind of time the younger Racing Driver had made. The Stigs had kept Rabbit’s lap time strictly secret as well, and they were the only ones who knew what the other F1 Racing Drivers times had been.

Mark had gone about earlier in the day, filming shots of his being only barely attentive to the driving around the track. He’d made sure to get in one little nod to Ben’s directions, the first time he’d been for a lap. He couldn’t let Ben go without a prod, even though he wasn’t officially part of the show anymore, and this time the second Stig, Stiggy, the younger of the two, the brunette, had gone over the track with Rabbit.

As Jeremy bantered with him about the lap, even offering to give him lessons, which made Rabbit choke with laughter, he asked where Mark thought he’d come on the lap board.

‘Better,’ Rabbit assured him, ‘Much better.’ He sent a sense of how much better, but Mark had no way of measuring seconds accurately enough to have any idea.

Mark leaned forward in anticipation, and Jeremy laughed.

“I love the way that Formula 1 drivers actually, they really CARE about this.”

Of course Mark cared. It was the only time the Racing Drivers got to drive the same car. If Rabbit could be Sunshine, Snap, Jaamies, all the Champions here, now, it would prove, for once and for all…

Rabbit was watching him silently.

Prove what?

Mark never doubted Rabbit was a champion.

Mark could never love him more.

When Jeremy read out that Rabbit had beat Sunshine, though, Mark took a moment to send that to him. That he had beaten Sunshine’s lap time.

‘I beat MY time, Mark!’ Rabbit laughed.

Well of course he’d beaten his first time, it was pouring rain that day.

‘No, Mark, Stig says the rain makes it several seconds slower, he told me how much faster I’d have gone in the dry, the first time. I beat THAT! I am leaving Formula 1, faster than ever! We are going to have our championship for sure, Mark!’

He sent a feeling of cuddling close with their foreheads together.

‘For sure.’

  
**Dunsfold Aerodrome, Top Gear Test Track and Studio- 2013**

  
The final film opened on a empty, meaningless warehouse. Jeremy’s voice came over the shot, talking about Britain’s car industry.

Then he said something that gave Mark chills.

“There’s rather more going on than you might think.”

He talked about the big manufacturers in Britain. Showed the factories. Mark knew there were small groups of Racing Drivers living at those locations, test driving prototypes and safety cars. They were mostly bought from the unmatchable, too slow to race populations of the stables. From facilities like where Redbull had sent Stig.

Their life expectancy was only a few years, once they arrived.

“Then there’s motor racing.”

The scene cut to a shot of Jeremy, on a hillside.

“In the whole world, there are eleven Formula 1 teams. Eight are based in Britain and seven can be seen from the top of this one hill in Oxfordshire.”

Mark’s skin raised in goosebumps.

On the screen, Jeremy turned.

He raised his hand.

“Over there you have Williams.”

He turned and the camera turned with him.

“Up there in the Cotswolds, there’s Lotus and Caterham.”

He turned to the other side. His voice was tense, now, with the significance of calling out the location of Britain’s Racing Driver stables.

“Moving further along, we have Force India.”

The camera cut to a wider shot. Jeremy’s hand was outstretched, pointing, like a priest calling fire from the sky to destroy the bastions of evil.

“Marussia.”

“Redbull.”

“And Mercedes.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

The scene changed to a still of a race start. “Britain’s contribution to motorsport is extraordinary. All Indycar races. Every Dakar winner since 2009. 35 of the 36 starters at this year’s Le Mans. Including the car that won it. The Marussia F1 car and the Pagani Huayra. All of them have gearboxes built in that factory in this little industrial estate in Berkshire.”

Mark didn’t know off the top of his head what that company had to do with anyone, but he was sure, some match, somewhere would watch this declaration with tears in his eyes. Like he had for Jeremy calling out the stables.

“A whopping 75% of research and development done in motorsports is British.”

There was a shot of a rally Driver jumping his car. “British clutch.” The Audi Le Mans racer. “British hybrid system.” Indycars. “British ECU’s.”

The Aston Martin badge flashed across the screen. Richard came on. “It’s not just us, saying “Ooh, look, aren’t we clever?” The rest of the world likes what we’re doing these days. For 5 out of the last 7 years, Aston Martin has been voted coolest brand in the world. And then there’s the list of global celebrities who drive a Range Rover.”

Mark smirked. If people knew the car companies they loved had been doing these things, they would have something to say about whether or not they continued buying those brands. If celebrities discovered their beloved status symbols had been paid for in blood.

James’ time on the screen, for vehicles that weren’t cars, was still significant. Automotive companies did more than just produce street cars and racing cars. They had to be shown that all their businesses would be affected by what Top Gear intended to show the world. Besides, it was time to remind the rest of the world that they were involved in the automotive industry as well.

Map after map came across the screen, proving that all countries were involved in the practice of exploiting Racing Drivers.

Then the last map, the one with every country colored in brown, except, humorously, France, was countries which watched Top Gear. Mark especially liked this part.

_Everyone will know what you’ve done._

_Everyone will be listening, when we tell them your secrets._

_We know what you are doing._

_We can find you. Anywhere you have a business._

“Having decided we do make quite a lot of stuff in Britain, we decided to find out, just how much. So we hatched an ambitious plan. We called ALL the companies that make motorized vehicles and said to them, could you bring whatever it is you make, to a gathering in London?”

Mark bit his lip. He looked at Mitch, standing next to him, and nodded.

Rabbit was watching all this in silence, from the production office, and through Mark’s eyes.

“Little bit of a problem with Morgan, who didn’t know what London was,” Jeremy joked about the old car company he’d been teasing Richard for being a fan of for years. “But eventually, everybody responded magnificently.”

They’d actually gotten footage.

The cars rolled out of the factories to dramatic music.

When Top Gear calls, the automotive world comes to heel.

“Much later than everyone else, the Formula 1 cars began to leave for London.”

Rabbit whopped.

Mark’s hand shot out and caught Mitch’s forearm.

The Mercedes driving out of the garage at the factory...

Had Snap in it.

The cars weren’t on trucks. Of course they couldn’t really have traveled the whole way driving, but they were showing them being driven. Lewis’s Racing Driver was on worldwide television.

They were showing the Racing Drivers.

The McLaren waited for a parking gate to raise and then took off. It wasn’t Sugarboy, it was Checo, his rookie teammate.

Mark gaped at Mitch. Mitch squeezed his arm back.

“Which in Milton Keynes, was quite a sight.”

Mark knew that street. He’d seen it a thousand times. Redbull was in Milton Keynes.

The Williams and the Lotus shot down a street, passing a minivan. As they came around the corner, Valtteri Bottas’ Racing Driver’s helmet was recognizable. Pauli.

For an instant, Mark’s heart was in his mouth. After everything, he hoped against hope that it would be Jaamies distinctive M helmet in the Lotus. It wasn’t. It was Romain Grosjean’s Goose, in that distinctive blue helmet he sometimes wore.

Kimi wouldn’t be on this.

Then he realized- Redbull was in Milton Keynes.

The next shot was the Redbull factory.

And Sunshine.

‘Sunny!’ Rabbit yelled. ‘That’s my colt!!!’

“And quite a sound.”

The audio was familiar, suddenly. A rising rev. A Racing Driver voice, though he couldn’t tell which one.

Sunshine fell into line behind Pauli and Goose. The three Formula 1 cars, driving on actual roads. As though they were already a part of society.

‘Stig says all those Racing Drivers are with us. They and their matches all support the Top Gear crew. Mark, Sunny is with us. Sunny is fighting beside us.’

They’d never known Sebastian and Sunshine, FIA’s golden boys, were opposed to the company. Hated the company as much as Mark and Rabbit, it’s black sheep.

Mark waited, but they didn’t show the Racing Drivers again.

“Eventually the fleet of vehicles that had been made in Britain began to arrive on the streets of the capital, and after the slowest had turned up, we climbed into our Jags and headed for the meeting point, to see how much stuff was there.”

Onscreen, the shot changed to Jeremy Clarkson driving, he looked into the camera. “This feels a bit special, this does.”

He had the same sadness in his voice as he had the day he’d spoken to Mark of the two Porsches. Mark felt for Rabbit in his mind, and thought of how sorry he was that Jeremy had to see this day, while Blue never would.

“And, it became even more special, as we swung past Buckingham Palace, and onto the Mall.”

Jeremy squeaked as he saw the view.

Richard took a sharp, shocked breath. Visibly trying to stay calm for the camera, he said, “There’s more than I thought.” His face was hard.

The camera swung over the trees and panned the iconic boulevard. It was filled with the best the automotive industry had to offer.

“The Mall has hosted many uplifting scenes over the years, but it has never hosted anything quite like this before. It wasn’t the sheer volume that took our breath away, it was the diversity, the breadth. Cars, lorries, diggers, racers, ice cream vans, hearses. It was magnificent. It was huge.”

“I didn’t know we made those massive tipper trucks, look at that thing,” James said.

They had quite a way to drive, down the full length of the Mall.

“Tractor, didn’t think of that,” Richard said.

“Landspeed record cars.” Jeremy looked surprised.

Landspeed record cars, the kind they tested in Utah Flats. Mark closed his eyes and sent out a thought for all the broken matches in the world. He thought about Annie, and knew this was a nod to her, her dedication, and the turning point in her life that had brought her to Top Gear’s side.

“There’s my bus, right mate.” Earlier in the episode, seemingly as a joke, the Top Gear crew had advocated, for the first time, ever, public transport as a concept, and the idea that the world might not need to rely so heavily on the automotive industry for personal vehicles.

“Ooh, the Eagle!” Jeremy pointed at a Jag that had been on an earlier segment.

The three Top Gear hosts stopped their cars at the head of the parked procession and got out.

“A lot of people say that today, Britain is nothing more than a bank, or a boutique or a busted flush, but looking at that staggering collection back there, I’m not sure they’re right. Goodnight.”

The episode closed over the Royal guard marching down the line of cars and the credits going up.

Mark blinked away the tears. The audience was turning away from the presenters, now, milling, and some came and asked he and Mitch for autographs. He obliged, and took a lot of pictures with fans. His heart was in the productions office with Rabbit, though.

Top Gear had declared war. He had been part of it.

_We call._

_You come._

_We can find you anywhere._

_We know what you are doing._

_Everyone will be listening._

_Everyone will know what you’ve done._


	33. Brazilian Grand Prix 2013

****

Rabbit's Grand Tour  
Brazilian Grand Prix- 2013

 

The Last Race

  
The last race of the season was always exciting, but sad. The Racing Drivers spent the night in their stalls, together mentally and enjoying the joy and power of their new Champion. The next day they would all be put under, crated and sent to their home stable for the winter break, bringing the excitement of the season with them. Retirees were always specially treated at the last race, because they would need extra emotional strength to get through the endless winter.

  
Rabbit's last race in F1. His last ever race for Redbull. Tomorrow he wasn't going home to his family and greetings and news. He was going to a new place, where no one knew him. Where he would be a rookie in the new sport and the new stable, and he would face winter break alone.

  
And tonight, Mark was mad at him.

  
He shouldn't have been. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

  
Mark had shown his face to the world this year. Gone on Top Gear the night the men had told FIA they were coming for them.

  
Rabbit sat on the floor, arms crossed over his knees with his face buried in them.

  
The celebrations tonight were fairly subdued, as well. Sunshine's 4th Championship. The Redbull stallions, the Toro Rosso stallions, should have been ecstatic, should have been whipping the Racing Drivers up into a frenzy.

  
They weren't.

  
Rabbit had acknowledged it, given Sunshine his due, because Rabbit was going to do what was right and Sunshine had a right to acknowledgment. Rabbit didn't have to force himself to be happy. JEV and Oz had been polite, but the younger stallions had spent years being unimpressed by Sunshine, and were used to the feeling, they were his age and neither had any wins at all. They could see the unfairness.

  
There was some celebration going on about it. Sunshine did have special friends and most of the grid didn't have a reason to dislike him.

  
Rabbit wasn't listening to the celebration.

  
He raised his head off his arms.

  
He was listening to shuffling in the hallway outside his stall, and a faint scratching at his door.

  
The scratching went on for a few seconds and then there was a click.

  
The stall door opened. It wasn't Mark, it wasn't handlers. It was a tall, black helmeted Racing Driver. Rabbit knew him from Redbull, he was on his rookie team, but he would be going back to Redbull for winter break this year. His connections were closed, so Rabbit gestured.

  
[Xerxes? What are you doing here?]

  
Xerxes stood up straight and tapped the side of his hand on his helmet. [Celebrating, stallion.] He held his hand out, [Come with me if you want ice cream.]

  
Rabbit stood up.

  
Another head poked around the corner of the door, JEV. He held his hands past Xerxes and gestured, [Come with us, stallion, last race Ice Cream always tastes the best.]

  
He pushed at Xerxes, who reached out and grabbed Rabbit's hand, patting it lovingly and pulled him into the hallway.

  
[Rabbit, this is everyone. Everyone, this is Rabbit,] Xerxes gestured, left hand still holding Rabbit's. He patted his hand again and tucked it under his arm. Rabbit gently tried to free himself, but Xerxes ignored his efforts.

  
The rookies were all standing there in the hallway outside his stall. As one they moved forward and started patting and buffeting him, congratulating him on his career, and most of all, on the bravey it had taken to take off his helmet and let everyone see his face.

  
[So, for your bravery, as a retirement present, we have unanimously agreed to throw and extra Grand Tour tonight, for you,] Freeza, the white helmeted Mercedes stallion told him. Guardian started down the hallway, with Pauli behind him. Freeza held a hand to Rabbit, and Xerxes passed him over, waiting until little Alisar had tucked in beside Freeza and following. Trace, the Red from Freeza's team, walked alongside Xerxes at the back. [I was very proud of your decision, Rabbit.] Freeza gestured to him as they walked.

  
Trace, from behind, opened his connections just enough so they could all hear him, but not so he could be detected, and started telling Guardian jokes. Usually this was a lead stallion's job, but Freeza, who was walking in the lead stallion place, wasn't doing it. [Pauli doesn't tell jokes,] He told Rabbit. [So Trace does it for him.]

  
[Not for you?] Rabbit asked.

  
[I don't tell jokes, either. Whites are not exactly known for their humor, are they?]

  
Rabbit looked at him. A long time ago, he'd had a teammate who had a smiliar body shape, and now, off the track, with the disguises out of the way, he could see how differently Freeza was shaped than Max. He sent so quietly only Freeza could hear him. 'I hope you aren't ceding the lead stallion duties intentionally. Prince will be lead stallion of your stable someday. You don't have to give away your power.'

  
Freeza smirked, 'She told me it only took you a few days to spot it. There's a reason you and I don't see much of each other on the grid. No. None of them will challenge me because I'm a mare. Pauli is stronger than I am, but Trace tells the jokes because neither of us has a sense of humor. I would let Xerxes tell the jokes, but you don't want to hear what passes for his idea of funny.'

  
Xerxes, who'd been eavesdropping, broke in, 'Dents and scratches on your sidepods are the side effects of bad driving.'

  
Rabbit snorted with laughter. 'You're right, Xerxes isn't funny at all.'

  
Just then they reached a door and Xerxes skipped forward, pushing through the crowd, and knelt beside the handle.

  
[What is he doing?] Rabbit asked.

  
[He is tricking the door into opening,] Pauli answered.

  
'Horse, Horse, drive a course, bring home the win,' Xerxes chanted. There was a click and he stood and pulled the door open. [Welcome to the Grand Tour, Rabbit.]

  
There was the kitchen.

  
The stallions went straight to the freezers and took out tubs of ice cream. Alisar went to the fridge and brought out what was left of the fresh fruit from the weekend. In the distance they could hear the celebrations for Sunshine's Championship. Like fireworks in the mental skyscape. They sat in the quiet of the kitchen and ate sweets.

  
He watched them, all so comfortable with each other, a single herd, despite their upbringing in different stables. Alisar fussing over everyone, Guardian standing back and watching, Xerxes doing impressions and snatches of songs, to general amusement. Freeza brought Pauli an orange and sat beside him on the counter. Trace and JEV played staring contest. Their faces were remarkably similar with their helmets off. Brothers, he thought. When JEV won, Trace went and sat beside Freeza. Pauli hopped off the counter to go challenge JEV to a match. Their match went on a long time and Freeza went over to watch, occasionally poking Pauli in the ribs to distract him. Trace trailed after her.

  
Xerxes wandered over to Rabbit and sat beside him. He was moving a hand slowly against his leg, out of sight of the rest of the herd. [Horse, horse, horse, horse, horse, horse,] he carried on.

  
Rabbit remembered when Xerxes was young and he'd driven the other colts mad with wakefulness until he'd learned to let himself out of the dorm and gone wandering around the stable, the nights his episodes got too bad for him to sleep. The poor colt had done without enough sleep as long as Rabbit had known him.

  
He leaned a shoulder against Xerxes' and ignored the little compulsive motion. Alisar came and sat on Xerxes' other side with his head on his shoulder, stroking the back of his neck.

  
They made Rabbit feel welcome. Even though he had never been a part of the Grand Tour of the stables before and never would be, again. Maybe this was what it would be like when Top Gear got all of the Racing Drivers free. And maybe his new home at Volkswagen could feel comfortable, even though he would be different than the other Drivers.

  
He thought about it when he went back to his stall that night, and when Mark came to put him under for the trip the next morning, stroking his face and apologizing.

  
When he woke up, a day later, in a place where the mental energy was noticably different than any place he had ever been, he felt nervous. This was going to be very different from Redbull. He was going to miss living at Kimi's a lot, too.

  
Then a shaft of green light burst into his mind. 'Rabbit! You're here! You're finally here! I've been telling everyone all about you! They're so excited to meet you. I missed you so much!' There was a huge mental hug and cuddle.

  
Rabbit sat up. 'Kiwi?!'


	34. Volkswagen Stables - 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ FormulaFerrari

There was a lot of standing around and waiting. Mark was doing that things that humans seemed to do a lot; scribbling on pieces of paper. Rabbit never understood what the point was but every time Mark took him somewhere new there was more papers to be signed. It wasn’t very interesting and Rabbit was barely taking notice of his Match. Instead he was reaching out, looking for that burst of energetic green again. 

Rabbit couldn’t believe that he’d somehow managed to find Kiwi again. It seemed like forever ago that the little Racing Driver had been taken from the Red Bull stables. Racing in different categories, Rabbit had lost track of him. He asked Mark about how he was doing sometimes, just to make sure his little colt was still happy and, most importantly, still racing. 

It hadn’t dawned on him that Kiwi could be here.

_ Kiwi? _  Rabbit called, feeling briefly through all the minds he could reach. The connections to those Racing Drivers were weak; he’d never met them before and he’d never spoken to them before. In time the connections would get stronger, but for now it was just like hearing babble in a crowded room. He should have been able to detect Kiwi’s voice high above all the others. 

[Come on, Rabbit] Mark gestured to him, taking his hand in his. Rabbit turned his attention back to Mark, opening back up his connection to his match. He let Mark lead him down the corridor towards the door at the end; that door must lead to the stables. Rabbit had been in enough stables to know that they were always a building off the back hidden from view. Mark had said it was so that the people outside the company couldn’t see the stables. [We’re going to go through and see the stables now, OK? And then we can meet your new teammates.] Mark gestured, one hand still tightly holding Rabbit’s as he explained what was going on. Rabbit instinctively moved closer to Mark. 

[Will you be able to come every day? Like you did when I lived at Kimi’s?] Rabbit gestured, his worry coming through in the signs. He’d become accustomed to seeing Mark every day. And Alondra and Fernando. Rabbit suddenly felt sad. Was he going to be able to see them anymore? He hadn’t been able to see Kiwi when he was in a different race series. Alondra had been so scared and worried the last time he saw him; Rabbit didn’t want that to be the last time he ever saw Alondra. Alondra was supposed to be happy and cheerful and bring him all the special rocks. Rabbit didn’t like the thought of Alondra sad. 

[I’ll come as much as I can, as much as I’m allowed whilst you’re settling in. I have a hotel close by so if you ever need me you just call and I’ll come. I don’t care what time it is.] Mark assured, bringing Rabbit close under his arm. He changed to telepathic communication, maybe so the people walking them through the stables couldn’t hear what he said.  _And I’ll bring Alondra and Fernando too. We may have to wait until we’re racing but I’ll make sure they come and see you._

_ Thank you. _  Rabbit sighed as Mark pressed a soft kiss to his temple. Rabbit knew Mark would look after him; he always had. Wasn’t that why he was here in the first place? The door was opened for them and they stepped outside, Rabbit hiding slightly in Mark’s embrace. Mark was like home; he felt safe in Mark’s arms. 

[This is our training track.] One of the handlers signed, making those weird noises that Mark made sometimes. Rabbit assumed the handler was talking to Mark and signing for his benefit. [It’s probably a lot different from what you are used to. No go-karts but instead we have GTE spec cars.]

[Is this what we race now?] Rabbit looked up at Mark, sending the words telepathically but signing for the other human’s benefits. Mark shook his head.

[No, we race an LMP1 car now. Le Mans Prototype 1.]

[Why do we not train with that?] Rabbit asked, his eyes watching the two GT cars circle around the track. It did look like fun; the circuit was technically difficult and pushed the driver to the limit. Rabbit itched to have a go. 

[The GT cars give all the Racing Drivers, irrelevant of class, the chance to practice and go driving at least twice a day.]

[Twice!] Rabbit gasped. That was a lot more than he was used to.

[The higher class of cars can be quite strenuous to drive for that long, so by using the GT cars we can makes sure each Racing Driver gets as much running as they want without endangering their welfare. We have in-house simulators that will allow your Racing Driver to get used to the LMP1 cars.]

[Rabbit. You can talk directly to him.] Mark signed with a hint of annoyance. But Rabbit barely registered it, tugging excitedly on Mark’s arm. 

[Mark! The second car is a human!] Rabbit hadn’t seen many human racers. He had been teammates with David Coulthard for a few years but that was the only human racer he could think of. It was amazing to see the human keeping up with the Racing Driver so well. [Do humans race here?!]

[We encourage the matches to go out on track with their Racing Drivers.] The handler gestured. Rabbit was a little shocked to find that the handler wasn’t making the human noises; it appeared they were talking directly to him. The only humans who had really spoken directly to him before were Fernando, Mark and Kimi. This stable was so different. [The better the bond between Racing Driver and match the stronger the racing team. And there is no better bond than racing.] Rabbit looked across at Mark. He really waned to race with Mark. It would be interesting to see how his Match faired against him. Mark smirked, matching the challenge in his head. [Shall we show you to your stable?] Once again, the question was asked to Rabbit. He glanced at Mark, a little confused, before gesturing ‘yes’ to the handler. Mark took Rabbit’s hand again, squeezing it reassuringly with a smile on his face. Rabbit couldn’t help but notice how much more relaxed Mark seemed in this new stable. Maybe the change was best for them both. 

Rabbit suddenly turned around, his mind filled with excited green.

_ RABBIT!!!! _

Rabbit couldn’t help but smile as Kiwi clambered ungracefully out of the car he had been driving around the test track. Throwing his helmet off, the young Racing Driver dashed across the space between them and bundled himself into Rabbit’s arms. Rabbit cause his little colt, smiling widely as he held him tighter. 

_ You’re here! I knew you were coming! Brendon told me you were coming today and I was so excited! _  Kiwi gushed, holding Rabbit tighter. Rabbit stroked his hair gently, feeling a thousand times better already. Knowing Kiwi was here would make the transition a lot better. It was like having a piece of home with him.

_ I have missed you so much, Kiwi. _  Rabbit sighed, breathing the little Racing Driver in.  _It is so good to see you._

_ Did you see my laptimes? _

_ I did! I was very impressed. _  Kiwi’s eyes sparkled at Rabbit’s praise. He took Rabbit’s hand, dragging him over to the second car on the track.

_ Brendon did well to, didn’t he! He’s getting so fast now! We can race together soon! _  Kiwi smiled brightly as the human that had been driving the other car climbed out. Taking off his helmet, Rabbit instantly recognised the human as Kiwi’s match. Still sending to Kiwi, Rabbit gestured so Brendon could understand what he was saying too. 

[Brendon was very fast. Nearly as fast as you, Kiwi!] Rabbit teased, nudging Kiwi in the ribs with his elbow.

[Not that fast.] Brendon gestured back with a smile, ruffling Kiwi’s hair. 

_ Come! _  Kiwi grinned, taking Rabbit’s hand as Brendon walked over to Mark.  _You have to come and meet everyone!_  Before Rabbit had a chance to protest, Kiwi was dragging Rabbit off towards the stables. Mark let him know he would be right behind him and to enjoy some time with Kiwi. With that in mind, Rabbit let the younger Racing Driver drag him through the stables, pretty much running in his excitement. 

_ Look! Everyone look! It’s Rabbit! I told you he was coming!  _ Kiwi called, rushing through the sleeping quarters. He stood in the middle of the corridor with Rabbit, smiling brightly around as faces began appearing at the windows of the doors. 

_ Rabbit? _

_ THE Rabbit? _

_ He’s actually real? _

_ Oh my god, look! That’s THE Rabbit standing RIGHT THERE! _

_ Kiwi! Bring him closer! _

Rabbit looked around, confusion setting in as more eyes began locking on him, more excited thoughts were filling his head. What was going on? Why was he so special? Rabbit didn’t understand it; he wasn’t used to this sort of attention. Sunshine got this sort of attention at Red Bull; being a four-time World Champion it was difficult for the new colts not to be in awe of him. But Rabbit wasn’t this special, was he? He’d won nine races and no World titles. He could feel that some of the Stallions behind these doors were much more powerful than him in terms of wins and Championships. Why were they acting this way?

_ Rabbit! Is it true that you fought off every handler in the stable to give your brother time for his man to get him to another team? _

Rabbit frowned at the question. Where had that information come from?

_ Is it true you fought the lead stallion before you at Red Bull because he was letting handlers put down all the colts? _

Rabbit couldn’t get a word in; they were all talking too fast and over the top of each other. He could barely understand half the questions he was being asked. He looked to Kiwi, stood beside him and smiling brightly.

_ Kiwi, what did you say? _  Rabbit asked, finally starting to make sense of what was going on.

_ When Brendon said you were coming I got so excited. And everyone wanted to know who you were so I told them! _  Kiwi beamed, bouncing a little on the spot. Rabbit hung his head a little; now he was surrounded by myth and legend that he wasn’t sure he could live up to. He was about to say something to Kiwi when he felt the presence of another Racing Driver behind him. The power oozing off the Racing Driver was causing all the others to fall silent. It felt like they were splitting the sea to let this Racing Driver through to see Rabbit. Rabbit closed his eyes, bowing his head in respect as the power of the other Racing Driver filled his mind. 

_ Hello, Rabbit. I have heard much about you. _  The Racing Driver said. Rabbit could feel him working through his head, looking for clues about who he was. Rabbit felt like he couldn’t fight it; the power of the other racing driver too much. He must be the lead stallion of the stable.  _Little Kiwi talks of you and your match a lot._

_ That’s Mr LeMans, he’s the lead stallion.  _ Kiwi explained.  _Say hi!_  Even though he may look a lot older, Kiwi’s bubbly enthusiasm just showed how young he still was. Rabbit stood taller, filling himself with confidence. He was, after all, a lead stallion himself (once upon a time). He should not feel so overpowered by a lead stallion. He’d been fighting Sunshine for years bout this, after all. 

_ Hello, Mr LeMans. It is a pleasure to meet you. _

_ You will not challenge me like you challenged your old Stallion, Rabbit. I am older and wiser. I will not bend to your will. _

_ I do not wish to challenge you at all. _  Rabbit sent, still standing tall. But he opened his body slightly to show there was no threat in his words. LeMans was still moving through his mind. 

_ It seems you had a difficult few years under a new lead stallion. I do not like difficult. _

_ Please, I have just come to race; to escape the perils of my old stable. _ Rabbit said, a slight beg in his voice. Unashamedly, Rabbit opened the part of his mind that had been forcedly locked for so long. He let his new lead stallion into it.  _I do not wish to challenge your position._

_ You were a good lead stallion, Rabbit.  _ LeMans told him, a warmth filling him as the box was shut.  _The past is the past. We welcome you to Volkswagen._

_ Thank you, lead stallion. _

_ Is it true you let all the unmatched Racing Drivers have a say in stable decisions?  _ LeMans asked, feeling slightly shocked. 

_ I was an unmatched Racing Driver for so much of my term as lead stallion. I know where they stand. _

_ An interesting choice. One reflective of a Dark Blue. _  With a nod, LeMans left Rabbit’s head. Rabbit gripped to Kiwi’s hand a little tighter as he came back to himself. He took a moment to compose himself, make sure the box was shut tight and locked. Price couldn’t get to him here. Mark was protecting him and keeping him safe. That was why they left Red Bull. That was why he was here. 

The other Racing Driver’s still pushed Rabbit for answered to the stories Kiwi had clearly been telling them, but Rabbit closed them out. He thanked them for their warm welcome but explained he needed some time to adjust and settle in. Really, he just wanted Mark. 

_ You OK?  _ Mark appeared in his head. Instantly a settling cool filled Rabbit. Mark was still here for him, even in this new place. 

_ I’m OK. Where are you? _

_ Get Kiwi to bring you to his room. I’m waiting for you there. _

Kiwi lead Rabbit back through the stable. Rabbit could feel Mark in his head, looking through the conversations he had just had. Rabbit let him without blocking anything; Mark was just trying to make sure he was OK. 

_ The lead stallion- _

_ -LeMans.  _ Rabbit filled in, nodding as Kiwi kept walking him towards Mark.

_ That’s Tom Kristiansen’s Racing Driver! _

_ Tom Kristiansen? _

_ His Racing Driver- _

_ -LeMans. _

_ Right, sorry… LeMans has won around Le Mans 9 times! _

_ He is a track specialist? _  Rabbit asked curiously. It was new to have a track specialist as a lead stallion.

_ No, well, I don’t know. He races in an LMP1 team. For Audi. _

_ Like me now? _

_ Yeah, you’ll race against him next season.  _ Rabbit buzzed with excitement. Racing against a lead stallion always meant a good on track fight.

Rabbit gravitated to Mark’s side when they got close. He let go of Kiwi’s hand so he could curl around his match. He just needed a moment to feel at home and feel familiar. Rabbit shook his head as he buried himself into Mark’s hold. He shouldn’t have opened the box. It was locked for a reason. That was the first time he had opened it since showing Mark what was inside. He thought he could control it but maybe he couldn’t.

[Ok, Rabbit. Here is where you will be staying.] The handler gestured before opening the door to what Rabbit assumed was his sleeping compartment. He was a little surprised when Kiwi dashed inside, but it didn’t last long. Rabbit stood in the doorway, frowning inside the room. There was already someone in his room, as well as Kiwi. 

This room was nothing like what he had known or expected. It was more similar to the room he had been in at Kimi’s house than his one in the stable. It was big, much bigger than one person needed. There were comfy chairs and shelves and drawers and many other things that Rabbit had never seen before. A hand on his lower back, Mark’s hand, encouraged him to step inside. Rabbit did, with trepidations. 

_ This is your area, Rabbit.  _ Kiwi smiled, taking Rabbit’s hand and moving him across the room. Rabbit looked around at the other two cupboards in the sleeping quarter and the pair sitting on the sofa, clearly a Racing Driver with his match. The third Racing Driver was wearing a light blue shirt.  _You have shelves and drawers here for your things._ Kiwi explained.  _Let me show you your cupboard in the bathroom._  Rabbit was lead through to the adjoining room where a large bathroom was situated. There were three cupboards and three shelves lined up along one wall, each with a sink below them.  _You’re on the end, next to mine. Look! Brendon and I painted it green!_  Kiwi smiled excitedly, pointing to the green sink. Rabbit looked through the bathroom doorway to Mark. 

_ There is lots of room here. _  Rabbit said to his match. Mark nodded his agreement.  _Why?_

_ You share with your teammates. _  Mark explained as Kiwi and Rabbit came out of the bathroom.  _Good way to strengthen the bond between the three of you._

[I’ll let you settle in.] The handler gestured before leaving the room. Kiwi skipped between his two teammates. 

_ Manny, look! Rabbit’s here!  _ Kiwi beamed. The other Racing Driver stood up, laughing lightly at the little Green. 

_ I can see that, Kiwi. _  He smiled before turning his attention to Rabbit.  _I have heard a lot about you, Rabbit._

_ Nice to meet you, Manny. _  Rabbit nodded. He held the other Racing Driver’s eye contact as he began searching through his other teammate’s mind. He could feel the other Racing Driver doing the same and kicked the box about the bubble out of the way so it couldn’t be opened. He discovered everything he could about his second teammate, learning that ‘Manny’ was a short and affectionate name Kiwi had come up with. His full name was Mannschaft, meaning team in German; his match’s – Timo – mother tongue. He also found out that Timo was trying to teach Mannschaft German, a bit like Fernando was trying to teach Alondra Spanish.

_ Who’s Alondra? _  Kiwi asked curiously, having been eavesdropping on Mannschaft and Rabbit’s exchange. Rabbit blushed a little as he turned his attention to his younger teammate. 

_ My friend from Formula One. _  Rabbit explained, feeling that going into his cross matching with another Racing Driver and his match was a story best left for another time. Mannschaft took Rabbit’s hand in his own, smiling fondly. 

_ I have looked after him so well whilst he has been here. You took such good care of him in Red Bull. Thank you for protecting him whilst his match was not allowed to visit him and making sure he still raced. _ Rabbit could feel that Mannschaft protected Kiwi just as Mark protected him. It made Rabbit happy to know that Kiwi was still cared for even when he himself couldn’t protect him. 

_ Come look in your cupboard! _  Kiwi said, excited once more. Still holding Mannschaft’s hand, Rabbit moved towards the cupboard that had a dark blue ribbon on the door. He had only been here a little while but he already felt like he was being accepted; welcomed into a new family. Mannschaft’s light blue effect was clearly helping to sooth him in this transition. 

Rabbit opened the cupboard. It looked like most of the other cupboards he had slept in, which was absolutely fine. There was a sense of comfort in the fact that where he would be resting appeared fairly similar to those he had always used. But it was what was on the floor that had Rabbit frowning. There was two dark blue things sat on the cupboard floor and Rabbit had no idea what they were. 

_ Timo put them in here.  _ Mannschaft explained.  _I told him which colour to get._

_ What are they?  _ Rabbit asked, picking them up. They felt soft to touch. He rubbed one against his cheek, loving the softness against his skin. 

_ They’re slippers!  _ Kiwi cheered, pointing to his feet.  _They keep your toes warm! Look, Rabbit! Mine are green!_ Rabbit looked down at both of his teammate’s feet, seeing them both wearing the funny soft things on their feet. Kiwi’s were, indeed, green, whilst Mannschaft’s were a light sky blue colour. Rabbit consulted his own bare feet. 

_ Here, _  Mannschaft led Rabbit over to the sofa and sat him next to Timo. Lifting his feet, Kiwi and Mannschaft slid the slippers onto him. Looking down at them, Rabbit wriggled his toes, loving the softness and warmth that they hugged around his feet. Rabbit smiled up at Mark. 

_ Mark, look! _

_ Looking good, mate. _  Mark smiled back at him. 

_ They’re my colour!  _ Rabbit praised. He’d never been given a gift from anyone other than Mark or Alondra. He wriggled his toes again. 

[They’ll keep your feet nice and warm.] Timo signed at Rabbit. [I’m glad they fit.]

[Thank you so much, Timo!] Rabbit signed his thanks, not able to take his eyes off the fluffy dark blue things around his feet. The slippers. Rabbit loved his slippers. 

[Make sure you keep them in your cupboard when you’re not wearing them, OK? Otherwise the handlers may take them away.] Rabbit hugged his knees to his chest, grabbing hold of the slippers. He didn’t want anyone to take them away. They were special and Timo had brought them for him. He was going to protect them forever. [Manny will help you keep them safe.] Timo added softly.

[Don’t worry, Rabbit. I have had mine for 13 years!] Mannschaft smiled. This eased Rabbit’s worry a bit. If Mannschaft could look after his slippers for so long then Rabbit could keep hold of his. He had his new family to help him. 

\- - - - - -

_ No. _

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. How had he found him? How did he know where he was? Rabbit tried to scurry away. He was not going back in that bubble.

_ Price, please! I left! Leave me alone! _

_ Always talking, Rabbit. Why won’t you learn to SHUT UP! _

Rabbit screamed, rushing away from Price. This couldn’t happen again, wouldn’t. He screamed for Mark. Screamed for LeMans. Screamed for anyone. He didn’t want to be in that bubble again. They had moved him from Red Bull so he was safe. How had Price even gotten in?!

_ Price, please! Please leave me alone! I left! I left! Why are you hurting me? _

_ You need to learn, Rabbit. You need to learn that you can’t shout and scream and you can’t fight the company. How dare you take your helmet off! How DARE you show yourself to the humans! _

_ Price, please leave me alone!  _ Rabbit sobbed, curling into the wall. He couldn’t get away. He was trapped and Price was getting closer. 

_ You need to learn your place. You need to learn your actions mean consequences. And you need to learn to BE QUIET! _

Just as it had many times before, the world cut him off. Rabbit screamed, pounding his fists on the bubble that was shutting him out. He couldn’t reach Mark. He couldn’t reach anyone. He tried desperately to reach of Price but even he was gone. Rabbit sobbed and screamed and begged that someone would hear him and get him out of this torture.

\- - - 

Mannschaft woke with a start, the screaming tearing fear through him. He dashed out of his cupboard, knocking the doors wide open and slamming them against the walls. What was the screaming?? Was their a fire? Mannschaft looked around the room, his first priority being the two Racing Drivers in the room with him. 

_ Manny!  _ Mannschaft whipped his head around to Kiwi, seeing the little green racing driver stumbling towards him. He caught the half-alseep driver in his cotton green pyjamas and stabilized him. 

_ Kiwi! Are you OK?!  _ Mannschaft asked frantically, shaking the little Racing Driver a bit. Kiwi pushed Mannschaft’s arms off him. 

_ Why is Rabbit screaming? _  Kiwi pointed to the other cupboard, fear pouring over his words. 

_ The screaming is Rabbit?!  _ Mannschaft was shocked. Why would Rabbit be screaming in his sleep?

Without wasting another second, Mannschaft and Kiwi moved towards Rabbit’s cupboard, ripping the doors open. Rabbit had slid down the wall and was curled into a little ball on the floor. In the blink of an eye Mannscahft was trying to squeeze into the cupboard beside Rabbit and pull him into a hug. Kiwi followed suit. There wasn’t enough room for them all in the cupboard but being a bit squashed didn’t matter when Rabbit was clearly having some sort of night terror. 

_ What do we do?! _  Kiwi panckied, trying to hold Rabbit tighter. Mannschaft wrapped an arm awkwardly around Rabbit’s shoulder, stroking a hair gently through his hair. 

_ Can you wake him up?  _ Mannschaft asked, starting to send the lullaby that Kiwi always sung to Rabbit.

_ Why me?!  _ The little Racing Driver was panicking. Mannschaft squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. 

_ Your connection with Rabbit is stronger; you’ll be able to get him awake quicker. _  Mannscahft explained. Taking a deep breath, Kiwi nodded his heard, screwing his eyes shut as he started pushing through into Rabbit’s nightmare. Mannscahft grabbed Kiwi’s hand, squeezing it tight as he followed the path Kiwi was carving through the younger Racing’s Driver’s mind. 

_ I’ve got you, Kiwi.  _ Mannschaft reassured, holding onto Kiwi and Rabbit even tighter. 

\- - -

There was music. He could hear it. Was that Alondra? Had Alondra somehow broken the bubble? Could he talk to Alondra? Rabbit reached for the music, using all the strength he had left to push forwards and hold onto the music. 

_ Alondra? _  Rabbit gasped, his fingers feeling like they were a few inches away from the music. Like it was just out of reach. Rabbit pushed harder, desperate to break out of this bubble. Where was Mark? No, Mark couldn’t hear him through the bubble. Rabbit stretched further, straining every muscle in his body to try and get to the music.  _Alondra!_

_ Rabbit?  _ That wasn’t Alondra it was Kiwi. It was Kiwi’s song. Kiwi used to sing it all the time when he was at Red Bull, during the period where he wasn’t racing and Brendon couldn’t come and visit. 

_ Kiwi! Kiwi, you can hear me? _

_ Rabbit, you’re sleeping. And you’re screaming.  _ Kiwi’s voice was scared but Rabbit was more focused on the fact he had heard him screaming from inside the bubble. 

_ You can hear me? _

_ You… You need to wake up, Rabbit. Manny is here too. _

_ It’s just a dream, Rabbit.  _ Warmth flooded Rabbit as Mannschaft’s voice filtered into his head. They were here and they could hear him.  _Just wake up now, OK?_

Rabbit tore his eyes open, gasping a little. He was confused and disorientated for a moment, not sure where he was. Slowly, he registered the two bodies pressed up close to him, the soft fingers through his hair. Rabbit looked around, seeing Kiwi and Mannschaft holding onto him tightly. Kiwi’s song was coming from Mannschaft. Rabbit instinctively pulled the green Racing Driver closer to him, snuggling into Mannscaft’s hold. His heart rate was still pounding, the nightmare fresh in his mind. 

_ Are you OK?  _ Mannschaft asked, fingers still brushing through Rabbit’s hair. Rabbit just nodded, knowing he was lying. But he didn’t want to talk right now, he just wanted to be surrounded by his family. 

The three of the flinched when the door crashed open. 

Mark was panting and out of breath as he stood in the doorway. His eyes raked over the three Racing Driver’s squashed into Rabbit’s cupboard. Rabbit’s eyes locked on Mark’s as the human moved into the room. 

_ You were screaming. _  Mark stated, his eyes wide. Rabbit couldn’t believe it; Mark had heard him too. Maybe Price wasn’t as strong here.

_ Where is Price? _  Rabbit asked, his panic doubling. Mark crouched in front of Rabbit, placing a gentle hand on his knee. 

_ Price? _

_ He was here! He tried to put me back in the bubble! _

_ Rabbit, shh.  _ Mark cooed, pulling Rabbit towards him. The other two Racing Driver’s moved with him, all three of them curling tightly around Rabbit, now there was more space as they were out of the cupboard.  _Price isn’t here. No one is every going to put you in the bubble again. I promise, mate._

_ But he was! And he was telling me-! _

_ -Shh, calm down.  _ Mark begged softly. 

_ Rabbit, it was a dream. _  Mannschaft said lightly.  _No one is here or was here. You never left your cupboard._

_ No one can get in without clearance, Price doesn’t have clearance here.  _ Mark assured. Rabbit slumped back in the multiple embraces he was getting. 

_ I’m sorry I woke you, Manny. _  Rabbit said sadly. Mannschaft nuzzled closer to him. 

_ I will never let anything happen to you. _  Mannschaft promise.  _You are my family._

_ Family? _  Rabbit asked, looking up at Mannschaft. Mannschaft nodded. 

_Kiwi, you, and me. We are a Racing Family._  


	35. Volkswagen Stable- 2014 Preseason

**Volkswagen Stable- 2014 Preseason**

  
Mark set the helmet down with a smile. Rabbit’s eyes went wide. [Look at this! See this shape? From one side it looks like my name picture, but from this side it looks like a running rabbit.] He pointed to the picture that had taken the place that two red bulls had taken on every helmet Rabbit had ever worn. The helmet was dark blue with some stripes and the picture.

Rabbit looked at Mark. [Where are the red bulls?]

His nose crinkled and his lip raised, like he was trying to block a bad smell. [Gone. Gone forever. You’re free from Redbull. They don’t have any hold on you anymore. You can get rid of that picture forever. You’re not a Redbull Racing Driver anymore.]

Rabbit’s heart fell. [No, Mark, I’m not on the TEAM anymore. I’m not owned by Redbull anymore. They can’t hurt me, I’m safe, but I’m still a Redbull stallion.]

Mark shook his head angrily and swept his hand like he was pushing all Redbull things away, behind him where he wouldn’t have to look at them. [No, you’re not. You can just forget about all that. You can put it all behind you and never think about it again. We can even get rid of all your old helmets.]

Never think about the stable? Never think about his bloodline? Never think about his family?

Rabbit wailed. [No, Mark, no! Those Redbulls are not for the MEN. They are for the herd. The Redbulls on the CAR meant Redbull owned me, the Redbulls on my helmet are because my family is Redbull. So any Racing Driver can look at me and see my heart. See that the Redbull herd is my most important thing. This helmet,] He pushed at it with his fingertips like it was covered in shit and he didn’t want to get icky. [Says I am the most important thing, that I don’t care about my brothers and sisters, my dam and sire, my foals. My blood, I AM the Redbull herd. Soon there will be no Redbull Racing Driver that doesn’t carry my blood. Do you understand that, Mark? Redbull is MY herd. If the companies go on, in generations to come, it will be MY blood Redbull is built on, like Ferrari is built on Endurance, like McLaren is built on Courage, like Ford is built on Sable. My foals are proud to carry my blood and I proud to have sired them.]

He drew himself up. He was broader than Mark, and taller. He started to slam his hand on the table, and then stopped himself, controlled himself as befitted the lead stallion of a great stable. He patted the surface, gently, instead. [I want EVERYONE to know I am part of the Redbull bloodline. Please bring the red bulls back.]

Mark was furious. [Those bastards HURT you, Rabbit. Tortured you! I am not getting you away from them and then ADVERTISING them. People will think you’re still on good terms with them.]

Rabbit shook his head with a sad chuckle. [What is this?] He pointed at the dark blue color of the helmet.

[Your color, dark blue.]

[Who is it for?] He tapped the color. [Men?]

[No, for Racing Drivers.]

[You knew to put this on, why?]

Mark paused. [It shows other Racing Drivers who you are. Strong feelings, many friendships.]

[Why did you think the red bulls were on there?]

He saw Mark understand.

[To show the others what matters to you.] Mark rubbed his hands over his mouth.

He stood and searched himself.

Rabbit trusted Mark absolutely, because Mark was always, always honest.

[I don’t want to see it on you. It makes me sick. I don't want to wear it on mine. I can’t stand what happened to you there.] He grimaced in agony.

Rabbit smiled tolerantly. [You hate them. But not the herd. You don't hate Kiwi. You don’t hate Fili. Hare.]

[I hate Sunshine.]

Rabbit shook his head at that.

[I hate Price.]

Rabbit’s eyes flashed, [Price is NOT a Redbull. He’s from somewhere else. NOT my stable. Not my herd. You don't know what my family is like, Mark.]

He took Mark into his arms and put their foreheads together.

He sent memories of playing chase with Song and Pedra and Stig. Teaching Cooler to do handstands. Cuddling Boomer and Oz and Sunshine on his lap, telling them stories, teaching them songs, talking to them about their responsibilities. The hours he spent with Cooler, passing on what Glass Amaline and the Ferrari stallions had imparted about leading the stable.

The hours he had spent with Glass Amaline after Song had died, being patiently taught the history of their herd and of Racing Drivers. She had patiently taught him what was right and wrong. She had taught him to think about a situation and understand the possibilities. She taught him to assess his Racing Drivers and determine who had which talents and who could be trusted with which responsibilities, to teach them to grow, to make up for their weaknesses and make the most of their strengths.

He showed Mark pictures of a brown haired filly just his age with whom he had played games and learned their craft, who’d gone into the fillies’ wing and he’d never seen again.

He sent memories of watching the colts race, the few times he’d ever seen them, knowing that they were his foals. So proud that his blood had made such good, strong colts, that would protect the stable and make it powerful. Other bloodlines would be impressed with Redbull. Would know Redbull Racing Drivers were worthy. Something to be taken seriously. Sure to be successful. His foals would prove it to them.

He sent memories of celebrations. Of Rabbit’s first win. Boomer and Sunshine on the grid. Of Sunshine’s first win. Victor, JEV and Oz on the grid. Xerxes on the grid.

Sunshine’s Championship. How they had all screamed and delighted. How they had revelled. Gloried in it. The entire grid celebrated the night of a new Champion. The entire grid had screamed for Sunshine.

They had clapped Rabbit on the back. [You did so well. You raised him so well. Look at your foal. Look at the stallion he has grown into. You must be so proud, so happy.] There was no bitterness in these memories. They were pure pleasure. Bliss. Love.

Rabbit knew Sunshine wasn't HIS son. Not like Hare was his son. He loved him like a son, though. In a special way. He had raised all the Redbull foals, but Sunshine...Sunshine was special. Sunshine was his heart’s son. The one he saw himself in the most.

He closed his eyes.

_He threw himself at the door, feeling it jump. Then the handlers wrenched it open. There were enough of them to fill an elevator. All armed with the truncheons they carried._

_Instinctively, Rabbit retreated away from the door._

_They followed him in and grabbed him, dragging him out into the hallway where they were already dragging Stig. He pushed out of their grasps and stood between Stig and the handlers who were going to take him away, out of Rabbit’s family. Away, to be lost to them._

_There was a thump from the door beyond his. Boomer, throwing himself at the door, challenging the handlers. Wanting to fight for his family. Another thump from Oz’s stall, then another, from Sunshine’s._

_The handlers smirked at Rabbit, opened Boomer’s door and brandished their truncheons. The little Colt backed away with a whimper._

_They slammed the door on him and opened Oz’s door. Oz backed away with a whimper._

_They closed him in as well._

_Then they opened Sunshine’s door._

_Sunshine barreled out. He was snarling and swinging his elbows, like he was fighting another stallion. They laughed at him and one of them smashed him behind the ear. Rabbit felt the colt’s mind blink into unconsciousness as he dropped to the floor. The men dragged him back into his stall and left him in a heap, closing the door on him as well._

_Brave little stallion. He hadn’t even reached puberty yet, but he already had the heart of a champion._

_It made Rabbit even more determined to fight. No matter what. No matter how many the obstacles were or how they were armed._

Rabbit let the memory drift away. He could feel Mark’s breath on his cheek where they stood face to face.

That was the day they had to wire Rabbit's jaw back together.

‘I want the red bulls back, Mark, because I am NEVER going to stop fighting for what is right.’

**Author's Note:**

> If you got far enough to see this note, please leave a comment. I'd like to hear what you think about this, good or bad.
> 
> Real People don't belong to me.
> 
> This story is fiction and is no reflection on anyone in it. The story does belong to me, as does the AU in which it is set.


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